Complimentary Taste of Concerts: APO Happy Hour

MEDIA RELEASE
March 20, 2007

Complimentary Taste of Classical Concerts With APO Happy Hour

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Happy Hour, Wed 18 April, 6.30pm, Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE – FREE

Gareth Farr – Host
Baldur Brönnimann – Conductor
Brett Dean – Viola/Composer

The first of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s free Happy Hour concerts for 2007 will take place at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday 18 April at 6.30pm.

Happy Hour concerts are designed to provide people with a sample of the following night’s APN News & Media Premier Series concert in a less formal setting. The concerts are narrated and also give the audience the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the guest soloists and conductors as well as the orchestra players.

The concerts are free to attend thanks to funder, the Lion Foundation, and are presented by the APO with Auckland City and THE EDGE Public Programmes. Although free, bookings are required and can be made through the APO website, www.aucklandphil.co.nz (max four tickets per person).

The first Happy Hour concert will provide a preview of the concert on Thursday 19 April called ‘Architecture of the Soul’ featuring viola player and composer Brett Dean and conductor Baldur Brönnimann. The host of Happy Hour will be the APO’s current Composer-in-Residence, Gareth Farr.

The Happy Hour concert will feature three works: Schumann’s Manfred Overture; Brett Dean’s Viola Concerto; and Colin Bright’s Oceania. (The APN News & Media Premier Series concert will also include Brahms’ Symphony No. 3.)

Happy Hour attendees who then want to purchase tickets to the following evening’s concert receive a 10% discount on tickets by presenting their Happy Hour ticket at Ticketek.

“Happy Hour is the ideal concert for people who like to try before they buy,” says APO Chief Executive, Barbara Glaser. “These concerts provide a relaxing, informal setting at a convenient early-evening time for people to discover more about classical music with the aim of demystifying and enhancing the concert-going experience.”

The Hilton Hotel will create a cocktail especially for each Happy Hour concert. Four Happy Hour concerts are held throughout the year:

Wed 18 April – preview of APN News & Media Premier Series, ‘Architecture of the Soul’
Wed 23 May – preview of APN News & Media Premier Series, ‘The Majesty of Brahms’
Wed 15 August – preview of APN News & Media Premier Series, ‘Farr Horizons’
Wed 17 October – preview of APN News & Media Premier Series, ‘Music of the Spheres’

The APN News &Media Premier Series is a series of 12 concerts held by the APO in the Auckland Town Hall on Thursdays at 8pm. These concerts feature international conductors, soloists and musicians performing a wide range of symphonic repertoire.

Happy Hour Bookings: www.aucklandphil.co.nz

APN News & Media Series Bookings: Ticketek Ph 09 307 5139, www.ticketek.co.nz

ENDS

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