Music Director Cancels

Music Director Cancels

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has contracted NZSO Principal Guest Conductor Matthias Bamert to replace James Judd after Judd's recent withdrawal, due to personal reasons, from the upcoming August subscription tour with world-renowned cellist Lynn Harrell. The NZSO Music Director was scheduled to conduct the NZSO in a series of concerts to be performed in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. There will be no change to the scheduled programmes or soloist.

Speaking today, NZSO Chief Executive Peter Walls said, "I am delighted that Matthias Bamert was willing to step into the breach to help out his old friend. He is a superb musician and has a very special relationship with our players. I am, of course, sorry that we won't be seeing James Judd in August, but we look forward to the concerts that he will be conducting with us in September and to his taking the NZSO to Japan in early October." Matthias Bamert is renowned for his interpretations of Romantic repertoire and championship of 20th-century music. He has one of the busiest international touring schedules of any conductor and is well known to New Zealand audiences. He was recently appointed Associate Guest Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Lynn Harrell returns by popular request after his spellbinding debut with the NZSO in 2001. He is a consummate soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, conductor, teacher and a frequent guest of many of the leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestras, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Symphony and the Berlin Radio Symphony.

\more PROGRAMME NZSO GREAT CLASSICS Presented by Montana AUGUST Friday 8, 6.30pm Michael Fowler Centre WELLINGTON AUGUST Friday 15, 8pm, Christchurch Town Hall CHRISTCHURCH*** AUGUST Thursday 21, 8pm, Founders Theatre HAMILTON AUGUST Friday 22, 6.30pm, Town Hall AUCKLAND

After his great success here in 2001, Lynn Harrell returns in a concert comprising famous works associated with war, culminating in Elgar's moving triumph of the human spirit, his famous cello concerto. Matthias Bamert conductor* Lynn Harrell cello PENDERECKI Threnody: To the Victims of Hiroshima VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Symphony No.5 BRUCH Kol Nidrei ELGAR Cello Concerto

NEW ZEALAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Presented by Montana AUGUST Saturday 16, 8pm, Dunedin Town Hall DUNEDIN**

Master cellist Lynn Harrell performs the romantic Schumann Concerto and the emotional, intense First Shostakovich Concerto, prefaced by Haydn's famed 'Drumroll' Symphony. Matthias Bamert conductor* Lynn Harrell cello HAYDN Symphony No.103 Drumroll SCHUMANN Cello Concerto ELGAR Cello Concerto NZSO GREAT ORCHESTRA Presented by Montana AUGUST Saturday 9, 8pm Michael Fowler Centre WELLINGTON** AUGUST Saturday 23, 8pm, Town Hall AUCKLAND**

Master cellist Lynn Harrell performs the romantic Schumann Concerto and the intense First Shostakovich Concerto, prefaced by Haydn's famed 'Drumroll' Symphony. Matthias Bamert conductor* Lynn Harrell cello HAYDN Symphony No.103 Drumroll SCHUMANN Cello Concerto ANTHONY YOUNG Mamaku (Douglas Lilburn Prize 2003 Finalist) SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No.1

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NZSO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 'AN EVENING WITH LYNN HARRELL' AUGUST Wednesday 20, 8pm The Opera House WELLINGTON

An intimate evening with the great cellist Lynn Harrell as he talks and plays his way through some of his favourite music by Mozart, Haydn, Stravinsky and Schoenberg accompanied by the NZSO Chamber Orchestra. James Judd/Lynn Harrell conductor Lynn Harrell cello/narrator MOZART Marriage of Figaro: Overture HAYDN Cello Concerto in C SCHOENBERG Ode to Napoleon MOZART Symphony No.29 STRAVINSKY Pulcinella

*please note change in conductor

** Denotes free pre-concert talk Wellington: Ilott Chamber, 7.15, speaker Peter Walls on Haydn Auckland: Concert Chamber, 7.15, speaker Peter Walls on Haydn Dunedin: Fullwood Room, 7.15, speaker Peter Walls on Haydn

*** Denotes free pre-concert talk Christchurch: Limes Room 7.15, speaker Peter Walls on Penderecki & the evening's programme

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