THE IMPRESARI SEASON ‘17
SEAS N ‘17
Welcome to the most exciting season Orchestra Wellington has ever presented! The history of classical music is filled with extraordinary stories. Stories of composers who speak to the most profound depths of the human condition, virtuoso musicians who have delighted audiences for centuries and tales of larger than life characters who were pivotal to the ongoing development of the art form. In 2017 Orchestra Wellington will tell the story of one of the most astounding figures in classical music (and dance and the visual arts!) – Sergei Diaghilev, The Impresario. The works that he presented with the Ballet Russes are the stuff of legend. He had the gift or vision (or was it audacity?) to bring the greatest geniuses in music, art and dance together to achieve a flowering of the arts that has never been rivalled. In its mere twenty years of existence, the Ballet Russes presented works that have gone down in history as monuments of their respective art forms. These two decades changed the world of art forever – expanding our concept of the possible. In the case of music, Diaghilev’s choices of composers were extraordinary and the works they composed have become legends. From Stravinsky's great trilogy of Firebird, Petrouchka and the Rite of Spring, to the decadence of Ravel’s La Valse, the delicate texture of Debussy’s Jeux and the absolute grandeur of Daphnis and Chloe, this is a story that is begging to be told! As YOUR orchestra, we are committed to contributing to the wonderful quality of life that Wellingtonians enjoy, and to maintaining
the ‘cultural capital’ status of our fabulous city. We play an important role in supporting some of New Zealand’s most important cultural institutions, and we are delighted to be accompanying the Royal NZ Ballet and NZOpera in their productions of Romeo and Juliet, Mikado and Carmen this season. In a further exploration of the works presented by Diaghilev, we will perform Les Sylphides – a stunning ‘white’ ballet – with the Deirdre Tarrant Dance Theatre for Wellington Summer City Kids Magic. We are also delighted to bring back concerts for kids, with ‘Under the Big Top!’, a musical circus performed by Orchestra Wellington and the Circus Hub. We are proud both of our Music to Schools programme and our partnership with Arohanui Strings Sistema Hutt Valley, a programme which shares our passion for transforming the lives of children through music. At our core, Orchestra Wellington’s mission is to bring the joy, beauty and excitement of classical music within reach of everybody, and to enable people from all walks of life to experience the thrill of a live orchestra. With accessible ticket prices and belief in the power of a tale well told, we want to share our passion for this wondrous art form with you! Transforming lives, breaking down barriers, enriching our culture – these are our lofty goals at Orchestra Wellington, and we are thrilled to share what will be an incredible season with you in 2017. Marc Taddei Kirsten Mason Music Director General Manager
THE IMPRESARIO SERGEI DIAGHILEV
It is impossible to read about the first decades in twentieth century music without encountering one name that crops up everywhere, linked to composers such as Stravinsky, Ravel, Prokofiev, Debussy, Poulenc, Milhaud, De Falla and Satie. That same name appears besides so many significant people of the time: Picasso, de Chirico, Cocteau, Matisse, Kandinsky, Joan Miró and Coco Chanel, as well as avant-garde Russians such as Léon Bakst, Valentin Serov, Alexandre Benois, Natalia Goncharova, and Mikhail Larionov. Not to mention those who revolutionised classical ballet: Nijinsky, Fokine, Massine, Rambert, Ida Rubenstein and Anna Pavlova. That name connecting them all was Sergei Diaghilev. He reigned as the leading impresario of the Belle Epoque. He was a catalyst: in that Parisian crucible of culture, the elements of greatness lay ready, but Diaghilev’s force brought them together to create masterpieces. He did this through his company, the Ballets Russes, assembled from the most talented dancers and artists he knew — and Diaghilev excelled at spotting talent. His vision and force of personality lured people like Nijinsky, Bakst, Benois and Fokine to throw in their lot with his hand-to-mouth, peripatetic company that veered between brilliant success and financial shipwreck for 20 years. Born near Novgorod in 1872, Diaghilev was raised on his family’s estate in Perm. His hugely social, generous, family loved the arts. When their fortunes failed, Diaghilev went to St Petersburg to study law. There, joining a circle of artists and intellectuals, Diaghilev dreamed of being a composer.
In 1894 Rimsky-Korsakov’s criticisms crushed that dream. But at 23 Diaghilev knew what he had to offer instead: “First of all, I am a great charlatan, although one of brilliance; second, I’m a great charmer; third, I’ve great nerve; fourth, I’m a man with a great deal of logic and few principles; and fifth, I think I lack talent; but if you like, I think I’ve found my real calling – patronage of the arts.” In 1899 Diaghilev and his friend Alexandre Benois founded a magazine called Mir iskusstva, “World of Art,” to promote their views on the Russian cultural scene. Mir iskusstva took an aggressively pro-Western stance of “art for art’s sake”, against more utilitarian, realist pro-Slavic artists. The offices of Mir iskusstva were a model for the future Ballets Russes. No matter how international the Ballets Russes became, the inner circle was always Diaghilev’s Russian family, friends and lovers. Benois said Diaghilev, “…made us forget our risks and our exhaustion, made us look at this ‘first worker among us’ as a true leader whom you would follow through thick and thin … Diaghilev, this operator, this man of business, had an individual gift of creating a romantic working climate, and with him all work had the charm of a risky escapade…” In 1905, Diaghilev organised exhibitions of Russian art in St Petersburg. This led to an exhibition of Russian portraiture in Paris that created such interest that Diaghilev was able to return in 1907, this time with a showcase of Russian music. He presented that most Russian of operas, Boris Godunov, with the legendary bass Fyodor Chaliapin. It was a success.
By 1909 Diaghilev had too many enemies within Russia. So he took dancers from the St Petersburg Imperial Ballet during their summer break, brought them to Paris, and called them the Ballets Russes. The troupe included Nijinsky, Pavlova and Karsavina, considered among the greatest dancers of the day. Paris was electrified by their four-week season that included Borodin’s Polovotsian Dances and Tcherepnin’s Le Pavillion d’Armide. Diaghilev made ballet intense, sensual and dramatic as never before. He engaged creative geniuses to create masterpieces together, insisting on great storytelling, sublime music, exceptional visual design, and groundbreaking choreography. The 1909 Paris audiences went wild for it: Russian music, Bakst’s gorgeous designs, and Michel Fokin’s impassioned choreography, with its freedom of movement, chanting choruses and the virile athleticism of its male dancers. Now a successful impresario, Diaghilev attracted the composers he wanted to create new masterpieces. Stravinsky, Ravel and Debussy came first, with The Firebird, Daphnis and Chloe, and eventually Jeux. Diaghilev kept his grand visions afloat by sheer willpower. He was arrogant, forceful, and brilliant at publicity and networking. “The charm of that man,” said English impresario C B Cochran, “could revive a corpse.” Massine, his choreographer and lover, described him as ruthless. “The artistic perfection of his productions was the most important thing in his life and he would allow nothing, not even a longstanding friendship, to stand in the way of it.”
The rows and betrayals within Diaghilev’s “inner circle” were legendary. Even his oldest friends found themselves replaced. Matisse initially called him, “…charming and maddening at the same time – he’s a real snake – he slips through your fingers. Fundamentally all that counts is himself and his affairs.” He later recanted, saying, “You can’t imagine what it’s like, the Ballets Russes. There’s absolutely no fooling around here – it’s an organisation where no one thinks of anything but his or her work.” Benois called Diaghilev a “phantasmagoric” businessman. Chased by debt, Diaghilev robbed Peter to pay Paul. “But that’s always been how he does business, and I begin to believe he’s right, seeing that, in spite of his numerous gaffes, his negligence, and the tricks he has the habit of playing, he also has the habit of success.” Abused, bankrupted and insulted, Diaghilev’s collaborators would return, unable to resist the hectic creativity and opportunities that swirled around him. The 1910 premiere of Firebird established the Ballets Russe in ballet’s avant-garde. In 1911 their London tour secured them international fame and permanency. In 1912, Daphnis and Chloe premiered as did L’Aprèsmidi d’un Faune, notorious for Nijinsky’s erotic choreography. Rite of Spring in 1913 ensured a permanent fame for them as well as Stravinsky. And so it continued until Diaghilev’s death in 1929. The Ballets Russes ended there, but its protégés went on to carry his legacy throughout the world. Photograph of Serge Diaghilev, n.d. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200156298.
FIREBIRD HOUSTOUN AND DEBUSSY DAPHNIS AND CHLOE INVITATION TO THE DANCE PETROUCHKA RITE OF SPRING
THE IMPRESARI SEASON ‘17
FIREBIRD
FIREBIRD Saturday 13 May, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C major John ELMSLY Violin Concerto (new commission) Jun Hong Loh, violin Grand Prize Winner Gisborne International Music Competition 2015
Igor STRAVINSKY The Firebird
In this concert we’ll hear two geniuses announce themselves to the world, Beethoven’s first symphony shows he had already mastered the symphonic form and even hints at how he would one day revolutionise it. Then we have the young Stravinsky, one of the greatest composers to be launched into worldwide fame by the impresario Diaghilev. Stravinsky’s first big commission for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes signalled the birth of a revolutionary talent. Diaghilev matched Stravinsky up with a highpowered creative team to produce The Firebird: Stravinsky’s imaginative use of the orchestra matched the vivid colours of Bakst’s costumes and Golovine’s scenery, while his exciting rhythms were the perfect complement for the genius of Fokine’s bold, free choreography. Orchestra Wellington are impresarios ourselves for this concert, bringing together well-known New Zealand composer John Elmsly and exciting young violinist, Jun Hong Loh (Gisborne International Music Competition winner), for a new work we have commissioned.
HOUSTOUN AND DEBUSSY
HOUSTOUN AND DEBUSSY Friday 7 July, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Claude DEBUSSY Jeux Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Piano Concerto in D Minor Michael Houstoun, piano Johannes BRAHMS Piano Concerto in D Minor Michael Houstoun, piano
Artist partner
Diaghilev’s magic touches this concert too, in the form of Debussy’s commission for the Ballets Russes: Jeux. Premiering within two weeks of The Rite of Spring, and likewise scored for a huge orchestra, this was Debussy’s final masterpiece for orchestra and was one of the most influential scores of the 20th century – an inspiration to some of the greatest composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. We also present two piano concertos which bookend the world of D-minor piano concertos. The first is one of Mozart’s most forward-looking concertos, with stormy passages and unresolved tensions that are rare for the Classical period. Brahms’ monumental First Piano Concerto stands as a conclusion to the territory Mozart explored in his concerto. It’s a frankly emotional, fully Romantic work in every sense, and a tribute to the composer we feature in our next concert, Schumann, and to Schumann’s wife Clara, who championed the work.
DAPHNIS AND CHLOE
DAPHNIS AND CHLOE Saturday 5 August, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Robert SCHUMANN Carnaval (orch. Ravel) Robert SCHUMANN Piano Concerto in A minor Stephen de Pledge, piano Maurice RAVEL Daphnis and Chloe Orpheus Choir of Wellington
Artist partner
When Diaghilev brought the Ballets Russes to London for their triumphant 1911 tour, Ravel’s orchestration of Schumann’s showpiece for piano was one of the works they presented. Arthur Applin, who saw those groundbreaking performances, wrote, “Hark to the music. Light as thistle- down, blown here and there, high and low by every little wanton wind. Music that makes sport of love and mocks passion, yet sets the blood dancing…” We welcome Stephen de Pledge to play Schumann’s beloved piano concerto. Schumann once wrote of his desire to see a concerto where “the soloist, dominant at the keyboard, may unfold the wealth of his instrument and his art, while the orchestra, no longer a mere spectator, may interweave its manifold facets into the scene.” This concerto embodies his hope. The Orpheus Choir joins us for another Diaghilev commission, Daphnis and Chloe. Ravel’s greatest orchestral work was conceived as “a vast musical fresco”. He deploys massive forces, including chorus, with utmost precision. Every glowing, evocative bar of it is a masterpiece.
INVITATION TO THE DANCE
INVITATION TO THE DANCE Saturday 9 September, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Maurice RAVEL Noble and Sentimental Waltzes Edvard GRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor Jian Liu, piano Carl Maria von WEBER Invitation to the Dance (arr. Berlioz) Maurice RAVEL La Valse
This, another dance-centred programme, begins and ends with Ravel’s evolving ideas on the waltz. The first waltzes look backwards, modelled on Schubert’s delightful essays in the form. But Ravel’s later work La Valse reflects its postwar world: written for Diaghilev in 1919, it is danced on the edge of a precipice; the beautiful ballrooms of the Belle Epoque are only memories. Berlioz’ Invitation to the Dance is a clever adaptation of Weber’s piano music, fleshing out a dialogue between a pair of dancers with a full range of orchestral voices. Schumann, who we featured before, is an invisible presence here too: Grieg consciously modelled his piano concerto on Schumann’s. Like Schumann’s, it opens with a dramatic, descending flourish on the piano introducing a work that is by turns tender, romantic and playful. To perform it, we’re delighted to welcome Jian Liu, Head of Piano Studies at the NZSM and founding pianist of the world-class touring ensemble Te Koki Trio.
PETROUCHKA
PETROUCHKA Saturday 4 November, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Tabea SQUIRE Colour Lines (new commission) Carl NIELSEN Violin Concerto Suyeon Kang, violin Igor STRAVINSKY Petrouchka
Taking our impresario role again, we introduce our Jack Body Composer in Residence, Tabea Squire, with a premiere of her work combining Orchestra Wellington and our partner Arohanui Strings Sistema Hutt Valley. We also welcome Suyeon Kang, 2015 Michael Hill Violin Competition winner, to perform Nielsen’s Violin Concerto. It’s a spacious, bracing work, full of the sound of nature. Nielsen wrote it in Grieg’s composing cabin, where he spent a summer at the invitation of Grieg’s widow. It was completed in 1911, a seminal year for many works we present this year including the major work in this concert, Stravinsky’s Petrouchka. Stravinsky imagined a Russian Pierrot, “…a puppet suddenly endowed with life, exasperating the patience of the orchestra with diabolical cascades of arpeggi.” Diaghilev encouraged him, commissioning the second of Stravinsky’s great triad of masterpieces for the Ballets Russes. Its setting in a traditional Russian Shrovetide Fair suited Stravinsky’s flair for orchestral colour and drama to describe the chaos and brilliance of the scenario.
RITE OF SPRING
RITE OF SPRING Saturday 2 December, 7.30pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (Eroica) Igor STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
Artist partner
If we began the year with intimations of greatness, these epoch-defining works are the culmination. Beethoven’s Third Symphony is where he took the symphonic mould and broke it. Symphonies would never be the same again after the moment in the first movement where Beethoven drove the orchestra into a series of discords so shocking to contemporary audiences that many of them thought he had gone mad. And in 1913, Stravinsky produced the crowning work of his triad of ballet masterpieces. The Rite of Spring caused a riot at its Paris premiere. Diaghilev’s annual appearances with the Ballets Russes had primed Paris audiences to expect the unexpected, even to demand it. But this was beyond anything they had imagined. Exotically primitive melodies, irregular rhythms, brutal harmonies, the orchestra pushed to its technical limits and beyond, not to mention the dancers! Now it is one of the most popular ballets ever, and always a sensation whenever it is performed.
UNDER THE BIG TOP! Orchestra Wellington and The Circus Hub Saturday 2 September, 3pm Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Tickets: $10 child, $20 adult Tickets on sale NOW through Ticketek: www.ticketek.co.nz or 0800 842 538
Bring the kids, and come and join the fun under the big top. Gasp at the incredible grace of the aerialists! Marvel at the amazing skills of the orchestra as it whips up a musical frenzy! There’s magic and excitement when you combine clowning, tumbling and flying with the thrilling sound of a full live orchestra.
image Š Robert Catto / www.catto.co.nz / all rights reserved.
Before the show, join in the fun in the Renouf Foyer with juggling and hula hoop classes, face painting, and many more fun activities for the whole family.
Where else can you catch ORCHESTRA WELLINGTON? Wellington Summer City ‘Kids Magic’ Orchestra Wellington and Deirdre Tarrant Dance Theatre Saturday 28 January, 11.30am The Dell, Wellington Botanic Gardens A fun and interactive family show featuring a performance of the stunning ‘white’ ballet Les Sylphides, and a dance version of Margaret Mahy’s much-loved story ‘The Lion in the Meadow’. Mikado New Zealand production 25 Feb – 2 March Opera House, Wellington Gilbert & Sullivan’s most famous comic opera is set in the imaginary Japanese town of Titipu with the satire directed fairly and squarely at the British and their love of bureaucracy. This stunning production transports us to modernday Japan, where Harajuku fashion, mobile phones and Hello Kitty rule. For details on these performances and more throughout the year, sign up to our newsletter www.orchestrawellington.co.nz, like us on Facebook or email info@orchestrawellingtonco.nz.
CubaDupa 25 – 26 March Cuba quarter, Wellington Wellington’s street festival reveres the epic creative spirit of Cuba Street and the Wellington community — a playground of delight, sound and taste. Carmen New Zealand Opera production 1 – 10 June St James Theatre, Wellington An enduringly popular opera, Carmen is a parade of hit tunes set in an exotic locale with a fearless heroine. Romeo and Juliet Royal NZ Ballet production 16 – 20 August St James Theatre, Wellington This hot-blooded, passionate re-telling of Shakespeare’s play is sure to resonate with lovers of dance, drama and pure romance. Family concert Sunday 27 August Expressions, Upper Hutt Join members of Orchestra Wellington in an interactive family-friendly show, introducing children to the orchestra, its instruments and composers.
PLAYING FOR YOU
2017 ARTISTS
Jun Hong Loh Violin Singaporean Jun Hong Loh graduated with a Masters of Music from the Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Prof. Glenn Dicterow, Joseph Lin and Sylvia Rosenberg. An alumnus of the Verbier Festival, Switzerland, he led the festival orchestra for numerous concerts as concertmaster and associate concertmaster under the baton of Charles Dutoit, Daniel Harding, Valery Gergiev and Gianandrea Noseda. Keen to develop the scene in his home country, he is the co-Artistic Director of the Singapore International Festival of Music, where he curated the programme theme “War & Peace” for the Festival’s inaugural year in 2015. He has won numerous awards, including notably 1st Prize at Gisborne International Music Competition, 1st Prize and Audience award at the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in Boston, 1st Prize at the Singapore National Piano and Violin Competition (Senior), and 3rd Prize at the 13th Andrea Postacchini International Competition held in Fermo, Italy.
Michael Houstoun Piano Michael Houstoun was born in Timaru, New Zealand, in 1952. He studied with Sister Mary Eulalie and Maurice Till, and by the age of 18 had won every major piano competition in New Zealand. His first international success came in 1973 when he won third prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Further study with Rudolf Serkin followed and in 1975 he took fourth prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition. After six years living and studying in the USA and London he returned to New Zealand in 1981. He finished his competitive career with the 1982 Tchaikovsky competition where he took sixth place. Since then he has amassed a large repertoire of over 50 concertos and a broad array of chamber music, orchestral scores, and song accompaniment, including many commissions from New Zealand composers. He has performed in the USA, Europe, Australia and Asia, and is renowned for being the only New Zealand pianist to perform the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas (released in 2014 on Rattle Records).
2017 ARTISTS
Stephen de Pledge Piano New Zealand pianist Stephen De Pledge performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. Following studies in Auckland and London, he was awarded the Gold Medal from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the NFMS Young Concert Artists’ Award, which led to debuts in the Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. He has given concerto performances with the BBC Scottish Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, New London and Philharmonia Orchestras, amongst others. Solo performances in recent seasons have taken him to Tokyo, Cologne, Paris, London and Edinburgh, as well as throughout New Zealand. His extensive discography includes works by Bliss, Barber, Messiaen, Shostakovich and Brahms, and premiere recordings of Pärt, Gorecki and Rorem. Stephen has collaborated with many musicians, including Felicity Lott, Viktoria Mullova and Evelyn Glennie, and is a guest at many international festivals.
Jian Liu Piano Jian Liu has gained a global reputation as a solo pianist, chamber musician, and educator, performing in Europe, Asia, and North America. His artistry has taken him to some of the most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall in New York, the Lincoln Centre’s Rose Hall. He has featured as a soloist with orchestras including the Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine’s National Philharmonic Society, the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and Yale Philharmonia, among others. He is a prize-winner at the Horowitz (Ukraine) and Missouri Southern (USA) international competitions and has performed at music festivals in Auckland, Idyllwild (USA), Beijing and Xiamen, Lausanne, and Krakow. Jian is the founding pianist of Te Kōkī Trio, the resident trio at New Zealand School of Music, which has appeared in chamber series in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Jian is Head of Piano Studies at the New Zealand School of Music.
2017 ARTISTS
Suyeon Kang Violin Australian violinist Suyeon Kang is currently undertaking her Konzertexamen degree at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, studying with, and assistant to Professor Antje Weithaas, under whom she completed her Master of Music with highest honours in 2015. The most recent of her many international competition successes came in 2015, when she was awarded both 1st prize and the audience prize at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Other international successes include special or major prizes at the Yehudi Menuhin, Buenos Aires, Leopold Mozart and Bayreuth International Violin Competitions. Alongside her soloist endeavours she is a passionate chamber musician and is regularly sought out for festivals in Europe. She has collaborated as chamber musician alongside Lukas Hagen, Clemens Hagen, Christian Tetzlaff, Stephen Isserlis among others. She frequently joins Camerata Bern (Switzerland) and has appeared as guest leader in many ensembles and orchestras around Europe. She plays on a 1777 Storioni, kindly on loan to her by the Fondation Boubo-Music in Switzerland.
Andrew Atkins Assistant Conductor Andrew Atkins began his conducting studies under Kenneth Young in 2012 whilst completing his BMus in Classical performance piano. He has been the principal conductor of Tawa Community Orchestra since 2014. Highlights in their 2015 season included Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto (soloist Thomas Nikora), Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 20 in D minor (soloist Xing Wang, NZSM DMA student), as well as Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien. Andrew has been the principal conductor of the Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust Orchestra as well as conductor of Wellington Girls College, Wellington East Girls College, and Wellington College combined orchestra since 2015. He completed his MMA in classical performance piano in April 2016 and has been studying towards a Graduate Diploma in conducting under Kenneth Young since March 2016. His 2016 performances include the Kapiti Concert Orchestra’s mid-season concert with oboe soloist Peter Dykes and the Manawatu Sinfonia concert in November performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major.
2017 ARTISTS
John Elmsly Composer John Elmsly was born in Auckland on 1 July 1952. His interest in composition was encouraged, in secondary school, by Laughton Pattrick. A graduate in mathematics and music from Victoria University of Wellington, he studied piano with Barry Margan, composition with David Farquhar, and electronic music with Douglas Lilburn. A post-graduate scholarship from the Belgian Ministry of Culture led to studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (1975 – 1978) where he won First Prize in Composition. In 1978 he studied in Liège with Henri Pousseur, Philippe Boesmans and Frederic Rzewski, also working regularly in the electronic music studios at IPEM in Ghent with Lucien Goethals. In 1981 he was awarded the Mozart Fellowship at University of Otago, and in 1984 he was appointed lecturer in composition at the School of Music, University of Auckland where he is currently Associate-Professor and head of composition, director of the Karlheinz Company contemporary music ensemble (which he has conducted in many broadcast recitals as well as performing on piano, synthesiser and flute) and director of the electronic music studios.
Tabea Squire Composer Tabea Squire began formal lessons on the violin at the age of six, and started regularly composing from the age of fourteen. She completed her BMus with Honours in Performance violin at the NZSM in 2012. Tabea won the 2006 NZCT National Chamber Music Composition Competition and the Big Sing Composition Competition, and was a finalist at the NZSM Composers’ Competition every year between 2007 and 2011. She has had works commissioned by the New Zealand String Quartet, the Manawatu Sinfonia, the Wellington Chamber Orchestra in conjunction with the Recorders and Early Music Union, and the NZSQ in conjunction with Beijing’s Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra. Her works have been performed in New Zealand, Australia, China, Europe, and Britain. In 2008, she was selected as Composer-in-Residence of the NZSO NYO. In 2016, she was named as Orchestra Wellington’s Jack Body Composer-inResidence. She is currently working on a ballet adaptation of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.
Marc Taddei Music Director Marc frequently conducts every professional orchestra in New Zealand and he regularly works with the national ballet and opera companies. Outside New Zealand, he is a guest conductor for the major Australian orchestras and returns every year to conduct in the United States. He was appointed Music Director of the Vallejo Symphony in 2016. His 2012 debut with New York City Ballet led to an invitation to conduct a full season the following year. Recent debuts include performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Xiamen Symphony Orchestra in China. He has worked with soloists including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Anne Sofie von Otter, Julian Lloyd Webber, Horacio GutiĂŠrrez, Helen Callus, James Morrison, Diana Krall, Bobby Shew, Art Garfunkel and Dave Dobbyn. His discography includes over thirty recordings on the Sony, BMG, Koch, Columbia, ABC Classics, Trust, ASV, Universal, Rattle, Atoll, Concordance, and Kiwi Pacific labels. Marc is a graduate of the Julliard School in Manhattan, where he received both bachelors and masters degrees before moving to New Zealand. He divides his time between Auckland, Wellington and San Francisco.
FIRST VIOLINS Stephanie Rolfe P Landa van den Berg & Rutger Keijser Chair Donor Olya Curtis SUB-P Emma Brewerton Slava Fainitski Helen Weir Rupa Maitra Vivian Stephens Manshan Yang Sandra Logan Emma Colligan Rosemary Harris Christine Watson Claudia Tarrant-Matthews SECOND VIOLINS Pascale Parenteau S-P Glenda West Chair Donor Konstanze Artmann P Elena Oscar Bullock Linden Barton Hye-Won Kim Ann White Sarah Marten Leah Johnston Phillipa Watson Sophie Tarrant-Matthews
VIOLAS Sophia Acheson S-P Peter & Sheryl Boshier Chair Donor Linda Simmons P Christiaan van der Zee Susan Fullerton-Smith Elyse Dalabakis Vincent Hardaker Faith Austin David Pucher Deborah Woodley Alison Eldredge Grant Baker CELLOS Brenton Veitch S-P Christine & Jim Pearce Chair Donor Jane Young P Paul Mitchell SUB-P Jane Dalley Kathy Paterson Geoffrey Heath Margaret Guldborg Jocelyn Woodley Jocelyn Cranefield Jane Brown DOUBLE BASSES Paul Altomari S-P Orchestra Wellington Board Chair Donor Toni St Clair P Jessica Reese SUB-P Anna Miller Victoria Jones
FLUTES Karen Batten S-P Diana Duff-Staniland Chair Donor Jen Vaughan SUB-P Tim Jenkin Tjasa Dykes PICCOLO Jen Vaughan P
TRUMPETS Barrett Hocking S-P Christopher Clark SUB-P TROMBONES Peter Maunder S-P Sir Geoffrey & Margaret Palmer Chair Donor Julian Kirgan SUB-P
OBOES Merran Cooke S-P Julian Arnhold Chair Donor Louise Cox SUB-P
BASS TROMBONE Matt Shelton P
COR ANGLAIS Louise Cox P
TIMPANI/PERCUSSION Jeremy Fitzsimons S-P Adán E. Tijerina Chair Donor Brent Stewart SUB-P Sam Rich Grant Myhill Hannah Neman
CLARINETS Moira Hurst S-P Boyd Klap & Veronique Sauzeau Chair Donor Tim Workman SUB-P Mary Scott Mark Cookson BASSOONS Preman Tilson S-P Penny Miles SUB-P Leni Mäckle Peter Lamb HORNS Ed Allen S-P Shadley van Wyk P Erica Challis SUB-P Dominic Groom Vivien Reid
TUBA Don Banham P
HARP Ingrid Bauer S-P Madeleine Crump KEYBOARD Michael Pansters Fiona McCabe
S-P Section P
Principal
Principal Principal
SUB-P Sub
Arohanui Strings Sistema Hutt Valley
Arohanui Strings Sistema Hutt Valley Founded in 2010 by Director Alison Eldredge, Arohanui Strings is a Sistema-inspired music education/social development programme. Their goal is to help children in areas of high deprivation to reach their full potential, using teamwork, harmony and ensemble playing. Arohanui Strings now works with hundreds of children in the Hutt Valley each year, teaching violin, viola, cello, double bass, singing and music literacy through in–school, afterschool and holiday programmes. Orchestra Wellington is proud to support Arohanui Strings’ programmes, and we look forward to continuing our partnership in 2017 and beyond. Arohanui founder Alison Eldredge says it is a fabulous experience for her students to perform on the stage of the Michael Fowler Centre with Orchestra Wellington: For our families it’s a glimpse of another world and the new parents see the BIG PICTURE in those 15 minutes like no amount of speeches or emails or notices could ever do. It is a longterm process, but we are seeing the young beginners pulled along and motivated by the more experienced players like never before.
Wellington Chamber Orchestra Through a new partnership, from 2017 Orchestra Wellington's Assistant Conductor will conduct the WCO for one term, and we will also provide support to them in other areas to help them thrive and flourish. The Wellington Chamber Orchestra (WCO) was formed in 1972 to provide opportunities for members to develop their musicianship and explore the orchestral repertoire. The orchestra gives four concerts annually under various conductors. As a group of proficient non-professional players the orchestra performs a wide range of music and offers opportunities for emerging soloists and conductors. The WCO’s Sunday afternoon concerts at St Andrews are thoroughly enjoyable, affordable, family-friendly events. Information about playing opportunities and concerts are available through the WCO website (www.wco.net.nz) and their Facebook page. 2017 concert dates are April 9, July 2, September 24 and December 9, at 2.30pm.
Wellington Circus Hub The Circus Hub was formed in 2005 to foster a thriving circus recreational and performance community in Wellington. Inspiring passion in the circus arts, they offer recreational circus skill courses, and circus arts performance development programmes for adults and teens. Their Raw circus performances showcase the work of students and circus artists, and they host workshops and performances by local and visiting artists. www.circus.org.nz
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR ORCHESTRA. EVERY GIFT MATTERS. We strive to be the most accessible orchestra in the country and we need your help. By making a donation now, you help keep our ticket prices low so that people from all walks of life can enjoy our concerts. Your donation also helps us to take the music out of the concert hall and into the community, reaching children and families across the region. By making a special accessibility donation, you will make our concerts more accessible to people with a disability. With the generous support of our audience, we have already begun to provide free companion tickets, concert programmes in Braille and audio description. Please help us now to do even more. Every donation is tax-deductible and you will receive a receipt. You can also make a donation on our website www.orchestrawellington.co.nz/donate
Chair Donor $1,800 per year Choose your instrument, choose your musician and become the personal supporter of one of the talented and passionate players who are our Section Principals and Principals. You will receive invitations to exclusive events and receptions, as well as the opportunity to get to know your sponsored player. Music Director’s Club $2,500 individual / $3,500 couple per year Join this select community of generous donors, with the opportunity to both support your orchestra and build a personal relationship with our engaging and inspiring Music Director, Marc Taddei. You will be invited to exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ rehearsals and events, as well as our annual Music Director’s Club dinner with Marc Taddei. Bequests Making a bequest in your will is a way to support Orchestra Wellington in perpetuity. Every gift counts, and all funds are invested to ensure the future of your orchestra. For more information about making a bequest, please call the office on (04) 801 7810.
2017 SUBSCRIPTIONS Buy all six concerts for only $32 a ticket – SAVE almost 50% on single ticket prices! Subscription bookings close 28 February 2017
SINGLE TICKETS Adult $60 Concession (Gold Card holder) $50 Child $10 Student $12 Under 35 $25 Community Services Card $12 Single tickets on sale from 1 March 2017 From 1 March, buy tickets to three concerts in one go and receive a 10% discount! (applies to Adult and Concession tickets only) Tickets available from all Ticketek outlets, phone 0800 842 538, or at www.ticketek.co.nz Note: service and processing fees may apply
Orchestra Wellington Level 8, 13-27 Manners Street Wellington (04) 801 7810 info@orchestrawellington.co.nz All prices are inclusive of GST. Ticket purchases are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Details are correct at the time of printing. Dates, times and repertoire are subject to change at short notice, and Orchestra Wellington will in no event be held liable for any loss arising from such change(s).
BOOKING FORM No. of subscriptions
x $192 each
Donation
Accessibility Donation
Total I would like my donation to remain anonymous
BOOKING AND PAYMENT DETAILS I am a returning subscriber Title Name Postal address
Postcode
Email Phone We will use your email address to send you information about the concerts
PAYMENT METHOD Cheque (payable to Orchestra Wellington) Credit card (Visa and Mastercard only) Card number Expiry
3 digit code on reverse
Name on card Signature Credit card fee 3.3% POST your form to Orchestra Wellington Freepost 652, PO Box 11-977, Manners Street. Wellington 6142 SCAN and EMAIL form to margaretm@orchestrawellington.co.nz BOOK ONLINE www.orchestrawellington.co.nz Need help or special access needs? Call (04) 801 7810.
ADMINISTRATION Kirsten Mason General Manager Kurt Gibson Operations Manager Kerry-Anne GilberdMNZM Sponsorship Manager Margaret Myers Event Manager Erica Challis Music Librarian Marek Peszynski Marketing Manager BOARD Francis CookeQC Chair Murray Newman Rutger Keijser Stephanie Rolfe Ozer Karagedikli Ian McKinnonCNZM QSO JP LIFE MEMBERS Brian Budd Graham Hanify Elsa Jenson Roger Lloyd Diana Marsh Christine PearceMNZM Adรกn Tijerina Orchestra Photography: Bradley Garner and Michael Farr Illustration: Trevor Powell Design: Spencer Levine
Music Director’s Club Anonymous, Francis CookeQC, Grant Corleison Chair Sponsors And Donors Julian Arnhold, Orchestra Wellington Board, Peter & Sheryl Boshier, Diana Duff-Staniland, Boyd H KlapCNZM QSO & Veronique Sauzeau, Sir Geoffrey and Margaret Palmer, Christine PearceMNZM & Dr. Jim Pearce, Adán E. Tijerina, Landa van den Berg & Rutger Keijser, Glenda West Donors $1,000+ Anonymous, Alfons & Susie Des Tombe, Peter & Carolyn Diessl $500+ Anonymous, Virginia Breen, Michael & Marie Crooke, Gary & Isobel Evans, Richard Evans & Stephanie McLean, Laurie Greig, Gary & Helena Hawke, David Jenkinson, Kirsten Mason & Samuel Chuffart, Bruce Scott, Jill Waddington $250+ Anonymous, Graham Atkinson, Odette Alleyne & Alan Evans, Leslie Austin, Patricia Bollard, Colin & Judith Calcinai, Neil Dodgson & Catherine Gibbs, Michelle Groves, Ross Ireland, R & C Irving, Barbara Mabbett, Athol & Ngaire Mann, Ian & Jenny McKinnon, Douglas & Pam Robertson, Karen Roper, Paul SelwynSmith, Patrick Smyth, David Weatherburn & Maxine Dixon $150+ Anonymous, Brian & Lynette Burrell, Bruce & Margaret Carson, Geoff Eades & Marion Cowden, Shirley Day, Philip Eastwood, Trevor Gebbie, Carol & Russell Hurst, Richard & Christine Irving, Rosemary Jones & Nancy Fithian, Annette Lendrum, Malcolm & Claire MacDonald, Patrick Mahony, David Marrison, Ian Millard, Ian & Sue Pearson, Charlie & Desiree Purvis, Judy Salmond, A & R Solomons, James Young And to all our donors who have made a gift of any size – thank you!
FOR ALL THINGS ORCHESTRA ORCHESTRAWELLINGTON.CO.NZ
Major Funders
Sponsors and Partners
Funders and Supporters
Trust Limited
ORCHESTRAWELLINGTON.CO.NZ