TURANGALÎLA OPERA’S MESSIAEN’S ANTIHERO THE AGE OF ADÈS MASTERPIECE DON GIOVANNI’S DISCOVERING COMES TO NEW RELEVANCE BOLD NEW MUSICAL AUCKLAND I N 2019 HORIZONS SUMMER 2019 VOL.42 NO.1 your free copy OUT OF THIS WORLD APO CONCERTMASTER ANDREW BEER PREPARES TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF VIRTUOSITY We’re taking you behind the headlines Get the inside story from our journalists bringing you all the news that matters. Watch now at nzherald.co.nz/journalists apo.co.nz 3 UPFRONT WITH BARBARA GLASER 15 Bach and Beyond 4 APO NEWS Swedish conductor Sofi Jeannin talks about the demands of a unique Easter concert 7 Auckland Philharmonia Redefining Nature Orchestra 16 PO Box 7083 The orchestra takes you up close Wellesley St to the Animal Kingdom Antihero for the Ages Auckland 1141 ‘The opera of all operas’ in 2019 Phone (09) 638 6266 APO Ticketing (09) 623 1052 [email protected] 18 apo.co.nz aporchestra Chauffeur to the Stars @aporchestra Tony Waring drives APO guests aporchestra in style Patrons Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, DBE, ONZ Dame Catherine Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, ONZ, QSO 8 19 Sir James Wallace, KNZM, ONZM Dame Rosanne Meo, DNZM The Nature of Love Vice Patron Sonic Riches Composer Ken Young discusses Dame Jenny Gibbs, DNZM, OBE A deep dive into Messiaen’s his new collaboration with Witi Auckland Philharmonia masterpiece Turangalîla Ihimaera Orchestra Board Geraint A. Martin (Chair) Symphony Leigh Auton DEVELOPMENT NEWS Richard Ebbett 20 Lope Ginnen CONTENTS Pare Keiha 11 21 CONNECTING NEWS Kieran Raftery QC Eric Renick Soloist on a High-Wire Julian Smith APO Concertmaster Andrew Beer 23 MY GREAT LISTEN gets ready for the performance Singer Elise McCann of a lifetime 25 ME AND MY CELLO Katherine Hebley 26 OFF STAGE Kathryn Moorhead – pottery 29 CRESCENDO NEWS 30 FOUNDATION NEWS 12 CHAIR DONOR SPOTLIGHT PHIL NEWS Rich and Strange SUMMER 2019 The fresh and exhilarating music 31 FRIENDS NEWS Editor Tiana Lyes of Thomas Adès Cover APO Concertmaster Andrew Beer by Adrian 33 CONCERT CALENDAR Malloch Photography Design Printing Paper Sponsor PHIL NEWS IS PRINTED ON TAURO OFFSET 100GSM; COVER 300GSM 1 Proud Partner of Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE APO Concertmaster Andrew Beer work to the stage. Read more about navigates the haze of tension in Ligeti’s Messiaen’s masterpiece on page 8. Violin Concerto, unless you’re right there In this issue we’re also proudly to witness it? Or how Swedish conductor featuring several contemporary works, Sofi Jeannin expertly balances the including the New Zealand premiere of demands of orchestra, choir and soloists Ligeti’s Violin Concerto (page 11) and a in our Baroque Easter concert? And how brand new work for the Auckland Writers will you feel that sense of curiosity that Festival on page 19. We are under no washes over the audience as they await illusion that contemporary music can Simon O'Neill's voice in a brand new work seem more challenging on paper, but we by Ken Young? There’s a raw power in really do urge you to open your ears to IMAGE: ADRIAN MALLOCH ADRIAN IMAGE: live music, and it’s our privilege to bring the unfamiliar and explore the music of that experience to you week after week. contemporary and living composers. And This season we have so much to if you don’t know where to start, writer UPFRONT WITH look forward to, and we’ve tried to Alastair McKean explains how he came to highlight as much of it as we can in the grips with Thomas Adès on page 12. Summer issue of Phil News. One of my Of course, we haven't forgotten the BARBARA personal highlights is undoubtedly going enduringly popular works, of which there to be the performance of Messiaen’s are plenty coming up. Ultimately, we just GLASER Turangalîla Symphony for the Auckland want you to come and experience the Arts Festival. Ten movements, 80 minutes, music live. Undoubtedly the easiest and Sometimes, there’s nothing that more than 100 musicians – it’s big, most powerful way to support and reward prepares you for the moment of hearing bold and breathtaking, and for many of adventurous programming is to show up. a piece of music live. our musicians (and concertgoers) it’s a And then tell us what you think! We’d love You can listen to every recording, once-in-a-lifetime event. To assist with to hear from you. share your favourite YouTube clips, pore the enormous orchestral forces required, over programme notes and Wikipedia we’ve joined with the Australian National entries, but will you ever know just how Academy of Music (ANAM) to bring this 80 We understand that music speaks where words fail. 09 638 9026 Elegantly conducted funerals. davisfunerals.co.nz phil ad landscape a5.indd 1 23/01/2019 10:15:21 AM NEWS FROM THE MUSICIANS IMAGE: ADRIAN MALLOCH The APO congratulates our violinist Rae Crossley-Croft, who SESSION SERIES RETURNS was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year Honours. Rae was a WITH TEEKS founding member of the APO in 1980 and held the role of Principal Soul singer TEEKS is the latest artist to join the APO for its Second Violin for 26 years before successful Session Series, for a one-off concert on Thursday becoming Section Leader Emeritus 28 March at Auckland Town Hall. Second Violin in 2006. She has Following on from a sell-out concert with Kiwi music collective taught and mentored young APO NEWS APO LEISURE in April 2018, the Session Series, presented by Hallertau emerging violinists over the years, Brewery, returns for an evening with TEEKS (real name Te Karehana and has clocked up more than 50 Gardiner-Toi), an artist who is making a name for himself as a years as a professional violinist, talented songwriter with an extraordinary, nostalgic voice belying in the UK, Australia and now New his 24 years. Zealand. It is a richly deserved In the few years since he emerged as one to watch, TEEKS has honour and we’re very proud of been nominated for a Taite Music Prize, a Silver Scroll, and several Rae’s achievement. New Zealand Music Awards, picking up the inaugural award for Best Congratulations are also in order Māori Artist. He released his acclaimed debut EP The Grapefruit for our principal horn player, Emma Skies in 2017. Eden and her wife Liz, who have The APO will join TEEKS to perform a selection of his current welcomed a new baby girl into their and new music in an intimate acoustic concert experience. family. Maggie Audrey Jean Eden was born on January 8 and the Eden family is doing very well. Welcome Tickets are now available to book from: to the APO whānau, Maggie! apo.co.nz/teeks GALA EVENT MOVES TO TOWN HALL The Deloitte Winter Gala returns in June, and this year it’s The APO is a charitable organisation, coming to APO’s home at the Auckland Town Hall. and the Deloitte Winter Gala supports The annual black-tie event on 18 June is a highlight on the the APO Connecting programme of orchestra’s calendar, and promises a glamorous evening of music education, community and outreach and entertainment. activities. Keep an eye out for ticket This year, the event will feature music from Phantom of the information on the APO website. Opera. Guests will be served a sumptuous three-course meal with fine wines under the grandeur of the Town Hall organ, while enjoying live entertainment from APO musicians and guests. A silent auction of many covetable items will feature More details and ticket bookings: throughout the evening, ranging from luxury adventures to unique apo.co.nz/deloitte2019 and memorable opportunities to connect with the orchestra. 4 apo.co.nz A SOUND INVESTMENT IMAGE: ADRIAN MALLOCH by what sort of valve mechanism they use: leading orchestras such as the Berlin piston valves or rotary valves. Stylistically Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic. they are quite different, and also feel very APO’s Music Director Giordano different to play. A simple comparison is Bellincampi has requested rotary that a rotary trumpet feels like a sports car trumpets to refine the sound of the and a piston trumpet feels like a truck. orchestra’s brass section and blend with The price of a rotary trumpet is higher the sound of APO’s German trombones. than a mass-produced piston trumpet The Principal Trumpet of the Berlin due to the complexity of construction. Philharmonic has offered to help select SECTION PRINCIPAL TRUMPET HUW Our set will comprise three C trumpets, the particular trumpets for the APO, an DANN PLAYING A ROTARY TRUMPET. an E-flat (alto) and a B-flat, and will cost added assurance for our investment. around $40,000. We have already raised Every year APO works towards $3,500 towards the smallest trumpet – You can help the orchestra achieve purchasing a significant instrument the E-flat. artistic excellence through this purchase. for the orchestra, through the Rotary trumpets, or German trumpets If you are interested in supporting the Instrument Fund. This year our focus as they are often called, are ideal for Instrument Fund this year, please contact is a much-needed upgrade on our set Austro-German Classical and Romantic the Development team: of rotary trumpets. repertoire – from Mozart, Brahms [email protected] There are two distinct types of and Haydn to Bruckner, Beethoven 09 623 5628 trumpets used in orchestral music, defined and Mahler – and are used by world- EVENING WITH EHNES James Ehnes has established himself as one of the most celebrated violinists on the international stage today, and APO supporters will have an exclusive opportunity to join James for an intimate evening of music and mingling in May.