Wellington Youth Orchestras

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

The programme for the 2021 season is here. Auditions are now open – audition form under the Auditions tab. Project 1, Transatlantic, includes Barber’s Violin Concerto, Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem, and Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Concert Saturday 15 May.

It’s not too late to send in your audition form for WYO 2021 – look under the Auditions tab.

WYO-Masterworks A4 Poster-2

WYO will play the Masterworks concert twice in October, under the baton of Music Director Mark Carter.

Concert 1: Sunday 6 October, 3.30 pm, St Andrews on the Terrace

Concert 2: Saturday 12 October, 3.30 pm, St James Church, Lower Hutt

The concert features the Bruch Violin Concerto with soloist Asaki Watanabe (winner of the Concerto Competition), as well as Saint-Saens’ Organ Symphony and Glazunov ‘Autumn’.

Tickets $20.00 (students and unwaged – gold coin), available at the door

Middle C reviews the WYO Dazzle! concert.

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/

Our famous alumna Gemma New, MD of Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in Ontario, Canada, has recently appeared on the front cover of MUSICIAN, the American Federation of Musicians magazine. Here’s the cover:

Both our orchestras have started rehearsing, but it’s not too late to join us for 2019. If you’re interested, complete the application form on this site, and email admin@wyos.org.nz for more information.
The 2019 programme for WYO is here: WYO-2019-ƒ

If you missed out on auditioning for WYO in March, we’d love to hear from you. We are running pick-up auditions on Monday 23 July 7-9 pm. Email admin@wyos.org.nz to get an audition time.