UWE GRODD                           Conductor
MICHAEL HOUSTOUN      Piano
STEPHEN COCO DIAZ       Counter Tenor
JAMES IOELU                           Bass
AUCKLAND CHORAL
PUHINUI SCHOOL CHOIR

Lets get the party started! Shostakovich’s Festive Overture with its effervescent sparkle, spectacularly opens one of our biggest nights of our 30th year! Described by musicologist Lebedinsky as a brilliant work, with ‘vivacious energy spilling over like uncorked champagne’.

Michael Houstoun, the MSO’s favourite soloist, plays one of our most beloved Beethoven piano concertos! First performed by Beethoven himself in 1803, this concerto from its first to the last note is full of the exciting, uplifting and gripping Beethoven experiences we all love.

We premiere the first symphony written by internationally celebrated New Zealand composer David Hamilton, Manukau Songs: A Choral Symphony, commissioned for the MSO’s 30th Anniversary. This work features beautiful poetry and words in Te Reo Māori and English from the 1850’s, alongside the evocative poetry of Manukau-based poet Yvonne Amery (Ngā Puhi) drawn from her collection “Here at the Edge”. Performing this work with us is Auckland Choral, and the Puhinui School Choir. New Zealand singers Stephen Diaz, counter-tenor and James Ioelu, bass also join us for performing this new work.

Free Pre-show talk, 4.00pm Sunday 13 August in the BNZ Theatre Foyer, Due Drop Events Center.

Be welcomed by Music Director Uwe Grodd, Composer David Hamilton, and Historian Dr Lucy Mackintosh as they discuss the 30 years of the MSO, Hamilton’s First Symphony ‘Manukau Songs:A Choral Symphony, and the special history of the Manukau region. Special guest, Poet Yvonne Amery will read one of her poems from her collection ‘Here At The Edge’ which are used in ‘Manukau Songs’.

A limited number of copies of ‘Here At The Edge’ will be available for purchase for $45 each.

We look forward to seeing you at this momentous occasion!