Manukau’s Orchestra premieres Warwick Blair’s tamāhine

Manukau’s Orchestra premieres Warwick Blair’s tamāhine

Influenced by the Maori concept of family, New Zealand composer Warwick Blair’s ‘tamāhine’ from "Whānau" for any number of performers and electronics will be premiered by the Manukau Symphony Orchestra at the Vodafone Events Centre on Saturday 9 March, 7.30pm.

Tamāhine (daughter) is one of three works in Whānau (family), where a member of Blair’s immediate family is represented by “an unaltered field recording (the electronics), that best sums up their environment, and that they themselves have chosen”.

In the case of tamāhine, the electronic sound includes supermarket checkout beeps woven into the ‘smudged texture’ of the orchestra that shadows the electronics.

The work comes with performance notes, of which number eleven was “Please note there is to be no conductor”, as each player in the orchestra is to play lines “in their own interpretation of when to actually play each note, according to where they think each note is spaced,” notes Blair, once described as the ‘enfant terrible’ of New Zealand music (NZ Herald).

To add to the unusual element of this concert, not one but three soloists will take centre stage - Melody Lin (Principal Flute) in John Rutter’s delightful Suite Antique; Matthew Verrill (Principal Trumpet) in Neruda’s classical Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major; even the award-winning conductor, Ray Chan will be showcasing his talents on piano in Gerald Finzi’s bittersweet Eclogue for Piano and Strings.

Ravel’s mesmerising Bolero sets the tone, while Tchaikovsky’s mighty 1812 Overture rounds off the orchestra’s first concert of the year.

The Manukau Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the support of the Auckland Council, Dragon Community Trust, Foundation North, Four Winds Foundation, and Pub Charity for the ‘Bolero’ concert.

Tickets are on sale now from $18 for students, $37 for seniors and $43 for adults.
Call 09 577 3031 or book at eventfinda.co.nz

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