NZSO To Perform For The Very First Time In Tonga Next Week

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra embarks on a groundbreaking tour of Tonga from 19 June, where it will perform with young Tongan musicians, The Royal Corps of Musicians and the Royal Tongan Police Band, as well as present music workshops at several schools.

The tour is the national orchestra’s first visit to the Kingdom of Tonga.

The touring party will comprise 10 NZSO brass musicians, two NZSO percussionists, two NZSO Conducting Fellows, and three support staff.

NZSO Section Principal Trombonist David Bremner has taught and performed in Tonga for several years.

“Tonga is a very special place for me. They have had such a tough time recently, and we are so excited to be heading over to perform and work with the schools. I know the NZSO Brass and Percussion are going to have a huge impact over there, and we can’t wait to perform and teach in this wonderful country.”

Bremner, who is also Music Director of the National Band of New Zealand, says Tonga has a very proud tradition of brass playing. “We hope to inspire the next generation of players. It would be incredible to see young players inspired by our trip to one day join the NZSO.”

The Conducting Fellows Anne Filimoehala and Sam Uatahausi, who are training as conductors with the NZSO, are Tongan-born and fluent in Tongan. They will be presenters during the NZSO tour and visit some of the schools to talk about their achievements as musicians and as leaders in their community.

“For the tour, I am most looking forward to listening to top tier musicians. As brass is appreciated so dearly in Tonga, it is so amazing to be part of such an awesome motive and I am very excited to be part of it,” says Filimoehala.

“As a second-generation kiwi, my parents have always instilled Tongan values towards myself and my siblings. A connection with the NZSO team is one thing, but to have the opportunity to go with them to Tonga – there really are no words to describe how grateful and blessed I feel to give back in a way I never have imagined.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity and a key milestone in the NZSO’s transformation to a National Orchestra representative of modern New Zealand,” says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni.

“The NZSO recently developed their first ever Pasifika strategy and I’m very pleased with their progress embedding Te Tiriti principles into their organisation. This tour is another step on their fantastic journey.”

During the week-long tour on Tonga’s main island Tongatapu, the NZSO will donate a timpani and drum kit for use by Tongan musicians.

The NZSO will join forces with The Royal Corps of Musicians and the Royal Tongan Police Band for a combined performance on 21 June.

On 23 June the NZSO will play side-by-side with musicians from Tupou College, during an evening extravaganza which includes separate performances by the college’s musicians and the NZSO.

The workshops at the schools will include some music extracts and demonstrations, useful tips for the students and conclude with a Q&A.

Tour funding has come from the Cultural Diplomacy International Programme (CDIP), administered by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Creative New Zealand, under its Pacific Arts Strategy, has funded the two NZSO Conducting Fellow students.

Anne Filimoehala

Anne Filimoehala was raised in a musical family. Her father, a musician himself, dedicated his life to brass bands in Tonga and taught Anne and her siblings how to play a brass instrument. She learnt how to play the tenor horn at the age of six, where she then went on to join the Auckland City Youth brass band along with her siblings, learning from Andrew Leech and the late Mike Ryan. She then played for Howick Brass under the baton of Graeme Brown and is currently the principal solo horn for the Waitakere Auckland Brass and Central Auckland Brass Band.

Since 2015 Anne has won several awards in national and regional brass championships. In addition to playing tenor horn, she began learning the violin when she was nine years old. She has learnt from many violinists, including Izabel Mandache, Iselta Allison, John Seager, William Hanfling, Dean Major and Elizabeth Holowell. In 2021, Anne graduated from the University of Auckland with a BMus (Hons) under the tutelage of Mark Bennett, majoring in Classical Performance in violin. Anne is currently a violin and brass tutor at Sistema Aotearoa, ACG Parnell and co-founder of The Terrific Trio & Co. concert series. She also runs her own studio where she teaches privately.

Sam Uatahausi

Originally from Tonga, Sam Uatahausi studied Music at the University of Auckland where he completed an Honours degree in conducting under Associate Professor Dr Karen Grylls in 2022.Sam has recently been the Associate Musical Director for the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds band, where he discusses practical conducting and rehearsal skills with the Musical Director Kevin Cameron. As well as observing the University of Auckland Orchestra under Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Assistant Conductor-in-Residence Vincent Hardaker, he assists the University of Auckland Student Concert band under Music director Dr Jono Palmer. Sam has also been the director of the Eastern Stars Youth Concert band from 2013 – 2022 and currently appointed the Music Director of Papakura Music School.

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