Nurturing young talent in NZSO & RNZB collaboration

RNZB logo horizontal high res.jpg

NZSO_YO_BLK_ƒ

Media Release – Monday 28 May 2012

Nurturing young talent in NZSO & RNZB collaboration

Wellingtonians will be treated to two special free events on Saturday 16 June when the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) and the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) will perform together for the first time in 6 years.

Leaps & Sounds will showcase nine world premieres of short works choreographed by RNZB dancers to music by composers, all under the age of 25, from the NZSO’s Young Originals Todd Corporation Young Composers Award.

“The collaboration, between two of our national performing arts companies, aims to nurture young talent and provide audiences with free access to these works performed, by the country’s leading musicians and dancers,” says Christopher Blake, NZSO Chief Executive.

Each choreographer selected music from the NZSO Todd Corporation Young Composers Award recordings archive. They had a minimum of 40 hours to create their dance work and were also responsible for casting fellow RNZB dancers and designing costumes for their piece.

“Our dancers are enjoying the opportunity to choreograph their own work on their colleagues. Furthermore, the collaboration with the NZSO means that they are able to work with original New Zealand music and have their creation performed to live symphonic music. We are delighted that this event has come to fruition,” says Ethan Stiefel, RNZB Artistic Director

Several of the selected compositions were created when the composers were only 15 years old and, although recorded by the NZSO, have never before been performed live for an audience. Hamish McKeich will conduct the NZSO in the two performances of one hour each.

Leaps & Sounds, Saturday 16 June, 4.30pm and 7:30pm, Michael Fowler Centre

Tickets are free, but bookings essential – email: nzso@nzso.co.nz or phone (04) 801 3863.

General Admission. No booking fee. Limit of 6 tickets per booking. Booking Office Hours: Mon - Fri 9am–5pm

ENDS

For further information, interviews or images contact: Andrea Tandy,

RNZB Media & Communications Manager, andrea@nzballet.org.nz, 021 244 4450 or (04) 381 9002

The NZSO and RNZB would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by the Todd Corporation in creating opportunities for young artists through the NZSO Todd Corporation Young Composers Award and the annual Todd Scholarship.

MCH_rgb

SUPPORTED BY

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

NZB_Leaps&Sounds - FINALjpg

Choreographed by Paul Mathews

Music: Alone in the Night composed by Matthew Childs in 2009

Choreographed by Sam Shapiro

Music: Dreams of Power composed by Umar Zakaria in 2008

Choreographed by Adriana Harper

Music: Evocation from the Seas composed by Max Wilkinson in 2011

Choreographed by Qi Huan

Music: Tales of Greece Suite III Mighty Odysseus composed by Christina Reid in 2007

Choreographed by Dimitri Kleioris

Music: Caught in the Headlights composed by Corwin Newall in 2007

Choreographed by Loughlan Prior

Music: Tiszavirag composed by Tabea Squire in 2007

Choreographed by Kohei Iwamoto

Music: The Persistence of our Youth composed by Umar Zakaria in 2010

Choreographed by Brendan Bradshaw

Music: [Inner] composed by Alex Taylor in 2011

Choreographed by Jaered Glavin

Music: Feral composed by Robbie Ellis in 2009

Lighting is designed and operated by Adrian Sealy-O’Donnell.

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO)

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1946, is the country’s leading professional orchestra. As part of its Young Originals artist development programme, the orchestra runs the NZSO Todd Corporation Young Composers Award. Now in its seventh year, the awards are an exciting opportunity for young New Zealand composers to have their work assessed by a panel of industry professionals and those selected are then recorded by the NZSO over a three-day residency.

Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB)

The Royal New Zealand Ballet, founded in 1953, is the country’s national ballet company with 34 dynamic dancers The company performs an eclectic repertoire of outstanding dance, for national and international audiences. Globally acclaimed, the RNZB takes pride in providing audiences with exceptional experiences, and increasing accessibility and enjoyment of dance through our education and community programme Dance Explorer.

ENDS

© Scoop Media