Orchestra Wellington Appoints New Concertmaster

Media Release
8 December 2016

VIOLOINIST AMALIA HALL APPOINTED ORCHESTRA WELLINGTON CONCERTMASTER

Amalia Hall has been chosen to lead Orchestra Wellington as its concertmaster.

Orchestra Wellington Music Director Marc Taddei says Hall is a major young star in New Zealand’s musical life, and one whose gifts have already brought her international acclaim.

“I am over the moon that Orchestra Wellington has been able to attract Amalia Hall as our next concertmaster,” Taddei says.

“This is brilliant news for Wellington and New Zealand, and I guarantee that great things will come out of this appointment.”

Hall is considered one of New Zealand’s leading violinists, having won all of its major concerto prizes while still in her teens. She received her education at Auckland University and the Curtis Institute of Philadelphia, and went on to win the Jeunesses Internationales Music Competition Dinu Lupatti, the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition and the Postacchini International Violin Competition, as well as gaining prizes in the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition, the International Violin Competition "Premio R. Lipizer'', and the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians.

Hall’s solo career began aged nine, when she performed the Bach Double Concerto with her sister Lara, accompanied by the Auckland Philharmonia. She has since performed with them regularly as a section player and as guest concertmaster.

Her overseas performances include appearances with the Virtuosi Italiani, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, NDR Radiophilharmonie, and the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra. Her recent win at Tunbridge Wells comes with an offer to perform with the South Bank Sinfonia and St Martin in the Fields.

Amalia Hall has toured numerous times with Chamber Music New Zealand and her performances are broadcast on Radio New Zealand.

The new appointment was announced after Hall’s spectacular solo performance in the violin concerto Stark with Orchestra Wellington, written for her by the orchestra’s Emerging Composer in Residence, Clare Cowan.

Both Hall’s performance and the announcement of her new role received lengthy applause from a capacity crowd in Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday night.

Hall is looking forward to leading the orchestra. She will join Orchestra Wellington from its first subscription concert, Firebird, on May 13 next year.

“I feel pretty lucky to be joining such a passionate orchestra and administration team,” she says.

Orchestra Wellington general manager Kirsten Mason says she is thrilled to welcome such a talented young New Zealander in the role.

“I know the players are very excited to be working with her, and we are looking forward to our collaboration as we go into the 2017 season.”

/ENDS

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