Joshua Kirk conducts the orchestra. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
There were plenty of familiar faces among members of Youth Orchestra Waikato who provided Cambridge Autumn Festival’s final and best-attended hurrah in the Town Hall on Sunday.
Ten of the musicians are from the wider Cambridge area including viola section leader Katie Li who attends St Peter’s School.
A packed Town Hall of about 200 people, including Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan, were entertained to some resounding music.
Journeys was a family friendly concert which took the audience on a musical journey from London, through the Czech Republic, a snowy sleigh ride and then home to New Zealand.
Among the five pieces was the Klaus Badelt theme to the Pirates of the Caribbean which the young people in the audience were able to recognise.
Cello soloist Kiera Sullivan pictured during the concert. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Another, appealing to the older members, was Sergei Prokofiev’s Troika from Lieutenant Kijé Suite – used as background music to Diana and the golden apples, a staple of 1ZB Radio’s Sunday morning children’s request sessions.
Orchestras Central Trust chief executive Catherine Gibson said the orchestra provides a varied programme including New Zealand, well-known classical work and more popular tunes so the members learn about all sorts of music.
“It was fantastic to hear the orchestra in Cambridge Town Hall – this beautiful, beautiful venue and to be part of the Autumn Festival brings that extra celebratory feel about it.”
Gibson said the acoustics in the hall – which since it was built in 1909 has hosted hundreds of orchestras – were “fabulous”.
“Once you get the audience in then that slightly rounds out the liveliness of the sound but it was beautiful, the orchestra sounded fabulous.
“I hope we can make this a regular event,” she said.
Town Hall trust chair Kirsty Johnson, a musician herself – she played trumpet in the Cambridge Brass Band – said the music and acoustics were “brilliant.”
“Great sound in there actually, really loud. You could hear all the little parts in there. I really enjoyed it.”
The conductor was Joshua Kirk of Auckland with Catherine Polglase the associate conductor. Year 13 Hamilton Girls High School student Kiera Sullivan provided an exceptional cello solo.
The locally based players in the orchestra included Joel Mansor, 1st horn, Grace Cox, 2nd violin, Katie Li, viola section leader (all St Peter’s School, Cambridge), Kezia and Gabrielle Schuitemaker, 1st violin, Seumas Eade, timpani and percussion (Matangi), Poen Hsieh, 2nd violin (Newstead).
Guest players and members of the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra were Peter Plunkett, oboe, Keith Rodgers, bassoon, Olivia Fletcher, cello.
Meanwhile the festival’s Paint it Jazz Live Art performance and auction at The Woolshed in Te Awa Lifecare Village resulted in a $6000 donation to Hospice Waikato. The event featured artists Richard Adams and Neal Palmer painting on-stage as the Nairobi Trio played freeform jazz.
