Royal New Zealand Air Force Band on tour

Royal New Zealand Air Force Band on tour

Feb 18th - 22nd

Tues Feb 18th - Auckland (with Diedre Irons, MBE - Rhapsody in Blue)
Weds Feb 19th - Tauranga (with Diedre Irons, MBE - Rhapsody in Blue)
Thurs Feb 20th - Rotorua (with Diedre Irons, MBE - Rhapsody in Blue)
Fri Feb 21st - Hamilton (with Dame Malvina Major - Farewell Tour)
Sat Feb 22nd - Taupo (with Dame Malvina Major -Farewell Tour)

George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with dazzling concert pianist Diedre Irons, MBE, is headlining New Zealand's largest symphonic band in Tauranga, Rotorua and Auckland this week. The RNZAF Band then switches scores to accompany Dame Malvina Major in Taupo and Hamilton.

RNZAF Band conductor, Flying Officer Simon Brew, says the brassy show is packed full of jazz-tinged symphonic masterpieces. “Rhapsody in Blue is the undoubted centre-piece. We want to take the audience to New York in 1924, which was when this magnificent work was premiered with Gershwin on the piano,” Flying Officer Brew said.

“We’ll be playing Four Dances from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. The tunes were a hit from their trailblazing debut on Broadway to the Academy Award winning movie.”

Flying Officer Simon Brew is the RNZAF Band’s eighth director in its 76 year history and was appointed last year. He was born and raised in Hamilton before study in the Netherlands. He began conducting professionally in 2004 when he was awarded an internship at New Zealand Opera. He has performed at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, The Air Force Proms, with Saxcess, Category Five, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and the Auckland Philharmonia.

Ms Irons, MBE, has made numerous appearances with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, toured many times under the auspices of Chamber Music NZ, and appeared regularly on Radio New Zealand. Between 1984 and 1991 she travelled extensively, playing concerts in 25 countries
through IDRIART, an international organization engaged in the production of intercultural festivals.

ends

© Scoop Media