Upcoming Events

After two previous attempts to bring a star Tuba player from Australia – Third Time Lucky!

Thomas Allely, principal tuba of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, is travelling from Brisbane specially to play with Christchurch’s excellent and innovative local orchestra Resonance Ensemble in the première of Tony Ryan’s newly revised Tuba Concerto. Ryan is also the conductor of this December’s concert which is Resonance Ensemble’s third shot at scheduling the Tuba Concerto after both previous attempts had to be cancelled because of covid-related trans-Tasman travel restrictions.

The concerto was originally written for Thomas while he was still a school student in Christchurch, and which he played with the NZ Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra in Auckland. Tony Ryan describes the revision of his concerto as an almost complete re-write which recognises the exceptionally advanced virtuoso and musical abilities of this now widely-experienced soloist, and the talented players of the Resonance Ensemble orchestra.

Also on the programme is Otto Nicolai’s colourful and vivacious Overture to his Shakespearian opera The Merry Wives of Windsor, which makes regular appearances at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s popular New Year concerts, and two even more well-known works by Scandinavian composers. Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite showcases Resonance Ensemble’s superb string section, while Sibelius’s tone poem Finlandia is not only one of his finest works, but a gloriously patriotic and emotional declaration of his homeland’s national culture in the face of Russian oppression.

All of these works will come to life with Resonance Ensemble’s usual flair and dynamism in the stunning acoustic of Christchurch’s wonderful concert venue, The Piano, at 3.00pm on Sunday 4 December.

Schumann Sechs Stücke in kanonischer Form, Op. 56 arr. for Piano Trio, V & VI
Gao Ping New Commission
Schuller Piano Trio
Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50

The final saga begins with Schumann weaving his love of Bach’s counterpoint with his own natural fountainhead of fantasy, presented in an arrangement by his friend and colleague Kirchner. The chromatic spectrum is explored further in Schuller’s trio, embodying his jazz roots with colleagues Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, and acknowledging his place in American composers’ royalty. Gao Ping’s NZ legacy continues long after his return to China in this brand new commission. The journey concludes with the largest, most symphonic piano trio of all – Tchaikovsky’s expansive and magnificent work written in memory of Nikolai Rubinstein – “À la mémoir d’un grand artiste”.

Schumann Sechs Stücke in kanonischer Form, Op. 56 arr. for Piano Trio, V & VI
Gao Ping New Commission
Schuller Piano Trio
Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50

The final saga begins with Schumann weaving his love of Bach’s counterpoint with his own natural fountainhead of fantasy, presented in an arrangement by his friend and colleague Kirchner. The chromatic spectrum is explored further in Schuller’s trio, embodying his jazz roots with colleagues Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, and acknowledging his place in American composers’ royalty. Gao Ping’s NZ legacy continues long after his return to China in this brand new commission. The journey concludes with the largest, most symphonic piano trio of all – Tchaikovsky’s expansive and magnificent work written in memory of Nikolai Rubinstein – “À la mémoir d’un grand artiste”.

Schumann Sechs Stücke in kanonischer Form, Op. 56 arr. for Piano Trio, V & VI
Gao Ping New Commission
Schuller Piano Trio
Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50

The final saga begins with Schumann weaving his love of Bach’s counterpoint with his own natural fountainhead of fantasy, presented in an arrangement by his friend and colleague Kirchner. The chromatic spectrum is explored further in Schuller’s trio, embodying his jazz roots with colleagues Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, and acknowledging his place in American composers’ royalty. Gao Ping’s NZ legacy continues long after his return to China in this brand new commission. The journey concludes with the largest, most symphonic piano trio of all – Tchaikovsky’s expansive and magnificent work written in memory of Nikolai Rubinstein – “À la mémoir d’un grand artiste”.

COMPOSER & LYRICIST Tim Finn

TAHITIAN MONOLOGUES Célestine Hitiura Vaite

CO-COMPOSER Tom McLeod

IHITAI ‘AVEI’A – STAR NAVIGATOR Aboard a cramped British scientific vessel in the vastness of the Pacific, two navigators find themselves locked on a collision course. One is a Tahitian priest, guided by his ancient knowledge of star pathways. The other a naval officer, desperate to prove both himself and his faith in science.

This beautiful and haunting new work by composer Tim Finn, co-composer Tom McLeod, with Tahitian monologues by Célestine Hitiura Vaite, tells the story of Tupaia, the Tahitian star navigator who sailed with James Cook, on the maiden voyage of the Endeavour in 1769. Ihitai ‘Avei’a – Star Navigator explores the relationship between two master mariners, each from vastly different worlds, both far from home and unable to find their way into each other’s world.

After a sold out world premiere in Auckland in 2021, we are delighted to present Ihitai ‘Avei’a – Star Navigator at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua with Orchestra Wellington.

COMPOSER & LYRICIST Tim Finn

TAHITIAN MONOLOGUES Célestine Hitiura Vaite

CO-COMPOSER Tom McLeod

IHITAI ‘AVEI’A – STAR NAVIGATOR Aboard a cramped British scientific vessel in the vastness of the Pacific, two navigators find themselves locked on a collision course. One is a Tahitian priest, guided by his ancient knowledge of star pathways. The other a naval officer, desperate to prove both himself and his faith in science.

This beautiful and haunting new work by composer Tim Finn, co-composer Tom McLeod, with Tahitian monologues by Célestine Hitiura Vaite, tells the story of Tupaia, the Tahitian star navigator who sailed with James Cook, on the maiden voyage of the Endeavour in 1769. Ihitai ‘Avei’a – Star Navigator explores the relationship between two master mariners, each from vastly different worlds, both far from home and unable to find their way into each other’s world.

After a sold out world premiere in Auckland in 2021, we are delighted to present Ihitai ‘Avei’a – Star Navigator at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua with Orchestra Wellington.