Author Archive: Anne French

WYO Childhood concert

Posted on by

WYO’s next concert will be on Sunday 31 July at 7.30 pm in St Andrew’s on the Terrace. The programme comprises Anthony Ritchie’s Symphony No 5, Childhood (North Island premiere), and Richard Strauss Symphony No 2. The guest conductor will be Donald Maurice. Entry $20 waged (at the door); koha for students and unwaged.

The players are excited to be learning a new New Zealand work – but they are concentrating hard on counting, at present.

If you attended our first concert of the year on 2 May, you’ll know just how great this year’s orchestra is. See you there!

Next WYO concert Sunday 10 October 3.30 pm

Posted on by

Our final concert of the year will take place on Sunday 10 October, St Andrew’s on the Terrace, at 3.30 pm – subject to Level 2 restrictions. (Please scan in and wear a mask.)

We are delighted to present our Concerto Competition winner, Peter Gjelsten, playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto – despite some programme changes due to Covid Level 3 in Auckland. This will be our last concert for 2021, but it promises to be one of our best.

The other work is Beethoven’s Egmont Overture – a triumphant way to close off a challenging year.

We hope you can join us.  Tickets $20 at the door. Students and all unwaged – gold coin.

 

 

What the critics said about our last concert

Posted on by

From the Middle C review of our Leonore concert, Saturday 31 July 2021

‘Conductor Andrew Joyce drew real exuberance from his players…

‘Nowhere in this work is Dvořák more “Bohemian” than with the Scherzo, whose main body is a Furiant, an exciting, quick-moving dance-form seeming to move between two-four and three-four rhythm. Joyce kept his players on their toes throughout, varying the dynamics in an ear-catching way, and delineating the trajectories firmly…’

Read the whole review here: https://middle-c.org/2021/07/wellington-youth-orchestra-and-andrew-joyce-take-on-quintessential-beethoven-and-dvorak/

WYOs alumna Gemma New is the 2021 Solti Fellow

Posted on by

Former WYO and WYS violinist Gemma New has been named the Solti Fellow 2021. This is the biggest grant given to US conductors. Gemma has been based in the US since she went there to study conducting at the Peabody Institute, after graduating from Canterbury in music and mathematics. She was back in New Zealand late in 2020 to conduct the NZSO: https://www.nzso.co.nz/new-zealands-orchestra/news-and-media/gemma-new-conducts-the-nzso-again-with-four-streamed-performances-this-month/

The full story of the award is here: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU2103/S00087/new-zealand-born-conductor-gemma-new-recipient-of-2021-solti-fellow.htm

Lex French, WYS alumnus, headlines Jazz Festival

Posted on by

Lex French is bringing his quartet from Canada, Code Quartet, to headline the Jazz Festival.  Top of the bill is the great Herbie Hancock. Code Quartet is just a little further down… Lex is the guy on the far left(trumpet not visible).

https://www.jazzfestival.nz/events/code-quartet/