MEDIA RELEASE May 30, 2007

APO Plays Up A Storm Through Winter Months

One of the most frequent questions the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra is asked is if the orchestra is a full-time job for its musicians. The APO’s June/July schedule provides the answer: an emphatic YES!

The APO will begin June with A Night at the Movies in the Aotea Centre on Saturday 2 June, a concert featuring modern and classic movie themes in their symphonic splendour. The concert is conducted by Tecwyn Evans and features mezzo-soprano Helen Medlyn.

The following week the orchestra will proudly accompany the three (yet to be determined) finalists in the 2007 Michael Hill International Violin Competition at the Auckland Town Hall on Saturday 9 June. The finalists will perform full concerti with the orchestra, with the First Prize winner being selected at the concert’s conclusion.

It will then be back to the Aotea Centre from Wednesday 13 June to accompany the Royal New Zealand Ballet during its five-night Auckland season of Swan Lake, performing the majestic Tchaikovsky score.

The APO will then warmly share the stage once again with the First Prize winner of the 2005 Michael Hill International Violin Competition and First Prize winner of the 2006 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, the remarkable Feng Ning, on Thursday 21 June in a concert appropriately titled Virtuoso Parade. The concert is the seventh in the APO’s 12-concert APN News & Media Premier Series, held in the Auckland Town Hall.

Feng Ning will also perform a special recital with pianist Michael Houstoun on Monday 25 June in the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber as part of the APO’s Lion Foundation Chamber Series.

Hot on this concert’s heels is The Age of Chivalry on Thursday 28 June, the eighth concert in the APN News & Media Premier Series featuring cellist Richard Harwood as soloist and conducted by Marko Letonja.

July is equally as busy for the APO, performances starting on Thursday 12 July when the orchestra accompanies the NBR New Zealand Opera for its five-performance season of Lucia di Lammermoor in the Aotea Centre.

A week later, the APO will perform in the Vector Arena for the first time accompanying legendary songwriter, Burt Bacharach on Friday 20 July. This will be Bacharach’s only New Zealand concert.

The APO’s association with opera then continues with Rome, the Eternal City, the second concert in its Vero Aotea Series featuring international opera stars, ex-pat tenor Simon O’Neill and soprano Erika Sunnegårdh performing works inspired by or written in the Italian city. O’Neill and Sunnegårdh will also perform the lead roles in Beethoven’s Fidelio at the APO’s Gala Opera in Concert on Friday 10 August.

The APO ends July with its annual performance accompanying a silent film as part of the Telecom Auckland International Film Festival at The Civic. This year the APO will accompany the 1927 classic horror film, The Cat & the Canary.

When not performing, the orchestra has a rigorous rehearsal schedule, leaving players with only two free weekends during the two month period.

“As Auckland’s only professional symphony orchestra, the APO contributes greatly to enriching the diverse cultural life of Auckland,” says APO Chief Executive, Barbara Glaser. “As this impressive winter schedule shows, the APO has strong relationships with professional arts organisations, promoters and events, moving effortlessly from opera and ballet to pop and film, and delighting our audiences with its vibrant virtuosity at our own concerts that attract top international soloists and conductors to perform in Auckland.”

The APO will also present a number of education events in July, involving participants from around the country as well as from the wider Auckland region.

From July 8 to 13 participants selected for this year’s National Schools Orchestra will take part in workshops and rehearsals, culminating in a Finale concert on Friday 13 July in the Auckland Town Hall.

The same day, the APO’s Composer-in-Residence, Gareth Farr, will work with adult composers at the 2007 Lion Foundation Graduate Composers’ Workshop at the Auckland Town Hall. Budding Year 9 and 10 composers will work with Farr the following week at The Trusts Interactive Composing Workshop at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday 18 July. Farr will also give students and adult composers individual tutorials on Wednesday 20 July.

On Monday 16 July the six finalists in the 2007 MusicWorks National Performers Competition will perform with the St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra in the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber, vying for a $500 cash prize and the opportunity to solo with the APO in 2008.

In addition to providing students with the opportunity to attend concerts, the APO also runs a Connecting with Music programme to enhance their experience. As part of this, violinist Sarah Hart will visit three West Auckland schools from July 16 to 19 to present excerpts from the Rome, the Eternal City Vero Aotea Series concert. This will culminate in the students attending the concert on Thursday 26 July.

In addition to fostering young musicians and composers, the APO also provides development opportunities for aspiring conductors and will hold the Lion Foundation Graduate Conductors Workshop from July 23 to 27. The workshop will see up to five participants work with leading international conductor Kirill Karabits.

Information about all Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra events – including links to booking information and information on education activities – can be found at www.aucklandphil.co.nz.

ENDS

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