July 2014

Winter greetings from SOUNZ!

The past few weeks have been busy on the news front so far: the NYO has announced its new performers, SOUNZ Awards deadlines have closed for this year and 2014 Children’s Music Awards finalists were published. In addition, there are a couple of exciting album releases to tell you about and not to mention all the events to keep us educated and entertained.

And don't forget to forward this email to anyone who might also enjoy these NZ music upates.

Sarah Ballard is the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) Composer in Residence 2014. SOUNZ met with Sarah recently and you can read the full interview with Sarah here. Her piece Synergos, which she composed for the NYO, is performed as part of their Season Concert.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s (NZSO) NYO has recently confirmed players who will take part in the exciting NZSO National Youth Orchestra concerts in Auckland and Wellington this July. This year’s Season Concert celebrates Richard Strauss’ 150th birthday with conductor Alexander Shelley.

Since its inception in 1959, the National Youth Orchestra has played a vital role in providing a unique opportunity for the country’s most gifted young orchestral performers. Did you know that approximately 50% of the current players in the NZSO are former members of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra?

Choral Connect '14, the national convention of the New Zealand Choral Federation (NZCF) Association of Choral Directors will be held 16-20 July in Hastings.

The convention aims to inspire and instruct conductors of choirs of all sizes and styles, including those who are just beginning to learn the craft of conducting. Sessions will cover a range of stimulating topics and SOUNZ is collaborating with session leaders to create a sampler of New Zealand music for primary, secondary, community and chamber choirs.

Check out the SOUNZ sampler of NZ choral music we created for the inaugural convention in 2012.

Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Recorded Music NZ announced the finalists for the 2014 Children’s Music Awards in three categories: Song, Video and Album. One of the finalists for the APRA Children’s Song of the Year is Anika Moa with her song Colours are Beautiful. You can purchase her album Songs for Bubbas, which was also nominated for Recorded Music NZ Best Children’s Music Album at SOUNZ online.

For the first time the awards will be presented live on TV2’s What Now on Sunday 20 July 8am.

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The entries for the NZSO-SOUNZ-RNZC Recordings 2015 and the SOUNZ Contemporary Award 2014 closed last month. All received applications are currently being processed to be sent to the judging panels and the finalists are announced in September. More about the awards at SOUNZ online.

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Landscape Preludes is a suite of twelve works for solo piano, all of which are available at SOUNZ, composed by some of New Zealand's most renowned composers. Originally commissioned and debuted in 2008 by pianist Stephen De Pledge the works have not been recorded collectively before now. New Zealand pianist Henry Wong Doe makes his Rattle Records debut with this album brimming with colour, texture and passion. Landscape Preludes will be released on 26 July.

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Congratulations to the young musicians of Westlake Boys and Girls High School music ensembles, who are currently touring Asia and Europe to present NZ repertoire. Four of the groups represented New Zealand at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna. After a successful weekend of performances Director David Squire said, “We believe this is the first time any organisation has taken out three of the five categories at this festival, and certainly the first time that all groups entered have placed. This means that all of the touring Westlake musicians will be performing in the celebration gala concert on Tuesday night.”

One of the two new commissions on tour was written by Alex Taylor, youngest winner of the SOUNZ Contemporary Music Award and a Westlake Boys High School alumnus.

One of the recent additions to SOUNZ resources is Ross Harris’ Symphony No. 4 ' To The Memory of Mahinārangi Tocker'. Commissioned, and performed, by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Ross Harris’ Fourth Symphony is a tribute to and a portrait of poet and songwriter Mahinārangi Tocker. The Cello Concerto was inspired by the brilliant playing of cellist Li-Wei Qin.

Read a review of the album on NZ Herald. The CD can be purchased at SOUNZ online.

COMPETITION!
Now is the time to like SOUNZ Facebook page as we will give away one Ross Harris CD to a lucky-liker, who gives us thumbs up in the next week.

The Dalecarlia Clarinet Quintet are currently touring NZ with Antithesis, a collection of old and new works from the northern and southern hemispheres. You can catch them from now until 23 July. Read more about Anna and The Dalecarlia Clarinet Quintet at Chamber Music New Zealand website.

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La Belle Alliance are performing in Nelson on 13 July as part of the Encompass Regional Concerts series through Chamber Music New Zealand. Programme includes works New Zealand composers Robbie Ellis and Anthony Ritchie. Both New Zealand works were written especially for La Belle Alliance and the new commission by Robbie Ellis received its world premiere on this tour.

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NZ composer Victoria Kelly has collaborated with Okareka Dance Company for their latest choreography: Mana Wahine, an all female work, which is touring around the country from now until August. Listen to a Radio New Zealand Upbeat interview with Victoria.

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Ongoing in Auckland, a solo exhibition of new video/audio works, sound sculpture and visual music graphics by Philip Dadson. Parallel Harmonies is on at the new Trish Clark Gallery, from now until 24 July, followed by a weekly performance night in the space.

If you haven't seen it yet, now is the time to view a video recording of a celebration of the life and music of Jack Body, performed in the composer's presence at the Music Theatre, University of Auckland, 30 April 2014.

The concert features works by Jack Body, Gillian Whitehead, Helen Bowater, Lyell Cresswell and Phil Dadson.

For updates about NZ composed music and events in between issues of SOUNZnews, follow us on Facebook.

And don’t miss the Resound Audio of the Week, a weekly offering of staff picks - often linked to upcoming events or anniversaries.
>RESOUND OF THE WEEK

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