APO Principals take centre stage

3 August 2006

APO Principals take centre stage

Of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade with the APO in October 2005, William Dart spoke in the NZ Herald of “the sinuous phrasing of Martin Lee’s oboe line” and said that “even the most obdurate of sultans would have found Dimitri Atanassov's violin totally irresistible”.

The final concert in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s Lion Foundation Midwinter Masterpieces series features two of the Orchestra’s Principal players, DIMITRI ATANASSOV (violin) and MARTIN LEE (oboe), in the solo position.

Dimitri Atanassov joined the APO in 1995 and in 2005 was appointed Concertmaster – much to the delight of all who had witnessed his playing over the years. Martin Lee was appointed Principal Oboe of the APO in 1995 and since then has performed as soloist with the Orchestra on numerous occasions, consistently receiving the highest of praise.

Together, these two musicians join the APO and conductor CHRISTOPHER WARREN-GREEN (Music Director of the London Chamber Orchestra) in performing two of Bach’s small concerti, his Violin Concerto in A minor, and Concerto for Violin and Oboe. This is music at its purest.

The concert’s second half features the APO’s premiere of the best known piece by its Composer-in-Residence Ross Harris, Music for Jonny. James Macmillan described the piece as “possibly the best string orchestra work to have been written in the last century”. The afternoon concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No.1, his unforgettable and spirited first venture into the genre.

APO: Lion Foundation MIDWINTER MASTERPIECES
Saturday 26 August – 4pm, Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna
Sunday 27 August – 2pm, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell
TICKETS: Adults $30-$50; concessions available (service fees may apply)
BOOKINGS: Phone Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra on 0800-744 542

Lion Foundation is the proud supporter of Midwinter Masterpieces.
The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra receives major funding from Creative New Zealand and major grants from Auckland City and the ASB Community Trust.

ENDS

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