Worlds within worlds brought to us by the Wellington Chamber Orchestra, with The Tasman Trio and Kenneth Young
Comments (0) Posts tagged: concerto
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NZSO marks Blake’s retirement with his haunting ‘Angel at Ahipara’, plus splendid Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky
By Steven Sedley, 20/06/2019
Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and a piece by a significant contemporary composer, Christopher Blake, might seem like popular programming, but as was evident by the large number of empty seats, the programme lacked wide appeal. Tchaikovsky's First Symphony is seldom performed, Stravinsky's Violin Concerto is very different from other more popular twentieth century violin concertos and Christopher Blake's music is unknown territory. Yet it is important both for the orchestra and... read more
The NZSO “reclaims the night” for Baroque composers at St.Andrew’s on-The-Terrace, Wellington
By Peter Mechen, 08/06/2019
To my great relief the NZSO abandoned the idea of presenting this, the second concert of their Baroque Series, in Wellington Cathedral, the first concert there having been a mixed blessing of an affair, with the building’s cavernous acoustic the main impediment to enjoyment of the music. The strictures of the Capital’s current “earthquake-risk” regulations regarding many of its buildings has made finding a venue for concerts involving either... read more
Orchestra Wellington takes Vivaldi and Piazzolla to Upper Hutt with great success
By Lindis Taylor, 06/05/2019
This programme was presented in the Opera House, Wellington on Saturday 4 May. Even considering venues in the central city, there is probably no auditorium as well appointed as Expressions in Upper Hutt’s Arts and Entertainment Centre where I was very happy to catch them.
There were 22 musicians on the stage, perfectly accommodated both visually and acoustically. In the place of the usual concertmaster, Amalia Hall, was Martin Riseley... read more
Creative, thrilling and heart-warming conclusion to Orchestra Wellington’s 2018 season
By Peter Mechen, 01/12/2018
Well, it was quite a night for Orchestra Wellington! – in front of an enthusiastic and appreciative audience at the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday evening the musicians put everything they had into making the final night of the orchestra’s 2018 concert season one to remember. We were presented with a line-up of pieces which, if perhaps not all sure-fire crowd-pleasers, perfectly expressed the desire of the orchestra’s organisers... read more
Great performances of unfamiliar Bartók and major Dvořák introduced by young geniuses
By Lindis Taylor, 27/10/2018
Each year, one of Orchestra Wellington’s concerts is embellished by a contribution from Arohnui Strings, the Sistema-inspired children’s orchestra based in the Hutt Valley. They took their places at the beginning of the concert in the place of most of the regular strings of Orchestra Wellington, interspersed by a few of the professionals to lend some body to the sound. The nerves and excitement of the young players infected... read more
Exuberance and poetry from pianist and conductor Lars Vogt with the NZSO
By Peter Mechen, 26/10/2018
Review for "Upbeat" RNZ Concert (with David Morriss)
Monday 29th October 2018
There's always great interest whenever somebody decides to take on the dual role of soloist and conductor in the performance of music - we had Freddy Kempf here with the NZSO a few years ago playing the entire cycle of Beethoven Piano Concertos, for example, which, from all accounts , was a great success. And now, with even more... read more
300 years of riches from the NZSM Orchestra – What is it about Bartok’s Second Violin Concerto this year?
By Peter Mechen, 02/10/2018
Though primarily a vehicle for displaying the stellar talents of violinist Claudia Tarrant-Matthews, winner of the NZSM Concerto Competition for 2018, this concert gave considerable added value in terms of the wide range of repertoire, not to mention the quality of the NZSM Orchestra’s committed, focused and excitingly-played performances of the same. Following Tarrant-Matthews’ astonishing traversal of one of the twentieth century’s truly great concertos, we heard an evocative... read more
Orchestra Wellington’s “The Prophecy” a remarkable musical journey
By Peter Mechen, 07/07/2018
Due to a printer’s mix-up, there were no printed programmes to be had for this concert, conductor Marc Taddei assuring us at the concert’s outset that he would be our guide throughout the evening’s music-making. As it turned out, the only regret at such a state of things one came away with from the concert at the end was having no tangible printed record of or piece of memorabilia... read more
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Dvořák with Rolf Gjelsten wins all hearts at Wellington Chamber Orchestra concert
By Peter Mechen, 24/06/2018
As part of the “run-up” to this particular Wellington Chamber Orchestra concert, its second of the current year, the Orchestra circulated on-line a truly inspiring issue of its occasional newsletter, Notes, one which I was delighted to get, in view of what was “coming”. It featured a heartwarming contribution from the concert’s soloist, Rolf Gjelsten, who’s of course the ‘cellist of the much-acclaimed New Zealand String Quartet. His love... read more
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