APO Goes Digital with Free Audio Streaming

--For Immediate Release--
APO Goes Digital with Free Audio Streaming

4 August 2011

The traditions of the orchestra meet up-to-the-minute on-demand technology in a new partnership between Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Radio New Zealand.

From today, favourite performances by the APO are being streamed on the orchestra’s website, and can be accessed for no cost at the press of an icon.

The service launches with two recordings: Elgar’s arrangement of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue BWV537 and Mendelssohn’s ‘Reformation’ Symphony. Both performances are drawn from the orchestra’s recent ‘Inspired by Bach’ series, and were originally broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert.

The intention is to stream as many performances as possible. The selection criteria are simple, says Ronan Tighe, the APO’s Manager of Artistic Planning. “Essentially, we choose pieces from our favourite concerts and then we decide whether there are technical issues to think about – we won’t post a concert if someone’s coughing all the way through the quiet bits, for example. Sometimes there are things such as copyright to consider, too, so unfortunately we’re unable to stream everything,” he adds. “Otherwise, we’re simply picking the things we think our listeners will enjoy.”

“This is an exciting development for us,” says Barbara Glaser, Chief Executive of Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. “Our aim is always to share our music with as many people as possible; the APO’s concerts have been broadcast on Radio New Zealand for many years, so this partnership with Radio NZ Concert is the logical next step, and lets even more listeners take part in the enjoyment of a world class performance.”

Roger Smith, manager of Radio NZ Concert, says: “We are delighted to be working alongside the APO to bring the best of New Zealand music and music-making to all New Zealanders – and indeed the world – via the internet. More and more listeners expect to be able to hear what they want when they want it online. Through this innovative partnership with the APO we are able to meet this demand.”

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s online streaming catalogue can be found at www.apo.co.nz/listen_online.aspx; the service uses Adobe Flash Player.

ENDS

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