WYO Masterworks 2

WYO's last concert of 2019 under the baton of Mark Carter. Features the Bruch Violin Concerto with soloist Asaki Watanabe, winner of the 2019 Concerto Competition. Also the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony (No 3), and a short work by Alexander Glazunov, 'Autumn', from The Seasons.

Tickets $20 (students and unwaged gold coin) available at the door.

Reviewers say: 'Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings was the string section’s opportunity to shine. The gorgeous rich string sound reverberated in the friendly acoustics of the church.' 'The orchestra played with clear precision and confidence, undaunted by the difficult filigree passages of this substantial symphonic work.'

"The whole orchestra came together for the final work, Enescu’s Rhapsody No. 1. This is an early work, based on popular dance tunes and songs of the time. It uses Romanian dance rhythms that get faster and faster until they get to a quite dizzying speed. It is ebullient, and outgoing, with none of the barbaric quality of the music of his contemporary, Bartók, who also explored the music of Romania. A clarinet, introduces the theme song that is gradually taken up by the whole orchestra.

It is exuberant music and the large orchestra in full flight playing these wild gypsy rhythms was a joy to behold.

"For an encore the orchestra played Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance from his ballet Gayane. It is a rumbustious, energetic piece, very appropriate for this concert by young musicians to end on. The Wellington Youth Orchestra is a great asset to the city." - Steven Sedley, Middle C