STAR-CROSSED LOVERS: FORCE OF DESTINY

Conductor: Simon Brew

Soloists:           Sitiveni Palei (Trumpet)

Tony Hon-Che Wu (Violin)

Simon Brew (Saxophone)

Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra

Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, 4 May 2025

Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra

For their annual May programme, Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra (TWSO) returned to the concert chamber at Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts. The venue was full, as was the stage with a sixty-piece orchestra under the baton of Simon Brew.

This is the first time TWSO had offered an audio described performance for blind and low vision patrons. Prior to the event, these patrons had been given a pre-concert tactile tour, and judging by the smiles this had been a huge success.  

The programme started with a hiss and a roar with Sergei Prokofiev’s Montagues and Capulets No. 13 “Dance of the Knights” from Romeo and Juliet. This familiar march featuring a military-like first section, then lighter melodic “Capulet” section was the perfect starting point for an afternoon of orchestral music that explored complicated relationships.

Joint winner of the 2024 University of Waikato Concerto Competition Sitiveni Palei was the trumpet soloist in Georges Bizet’s “Chanson du Toreador” from Carmen Suite No.2. Palei’s performance was accomplished and vibrant, and he conveyed the Spanish influence of Bizet’s piece effortlessly. Palei has been in New Zealand since the start of last year and was a guest player. Let’s hope he enjoyed his time so much that we will see him appear again with TWSO.

Beethoven’s “Romance for Violin and Orchestra” No.2 in F major, Op. 50 was written as the composer was coming to terms with his impending deafness. This striking adagio requires a maestro, and Concertmaster Tony Hong-Che Wu and his violin left the audience breathless. Wu’s performance was a spine-tingling and moving display of impeccable technique and emotion.

The first half was completed with Verdi’s Overture to “La Forza Del Destino” (The Force of Destiny). Brew’s conducting was enthusiastic, driving his players on with flair and an infectious energy as he ran the gamut of emotions in this dramatic piece.

Simon Brew, Conductor and Soloist

The second half began with Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra in E flat major, Op. 109.  Like Rachmaninoff and Ravel, Glazunov met his demise soon after writing an orchestral work featuring a saxophone. For this piece, Brew was the soloist and conductor - a rare, impressive and memorable feat. The rich tone of the saxophone and Brew’s musicality was masterful.

In 2019, The Royal New Zealand Ballet commissioned Claire Cowan to write a score for Hansel and Gretel. TWSO performed a selection from the work that kept the timpani busy and highlighted every section.

It would be impossible to hold a concert on May the 4th without a nod to Star Wars. “Yoda’s Theme” and “Imperial March” completed the programme. Brew and the orchestra received rapturous applause for an afternoon that showcased extraordinary talent and fresh perspectives.

Finally, walls have ears and here’s a few comments that I overheard - “They gave that hell!”, “my first time ever seeing an orchestra”, “happy faces in the orchestra”, and “wow, that was brilliant.” Hats off to the children in the audience who enthusiastically conducted too. TWSO makes classical musical accessible, and their May concerts continue to challenge the players, delight the audience, and inspire a younger generation. The (musical) force was with us today.