Composer's great juggling act

Teacher, composer, musician - Chris Adams is a busy man. Joanna Davies reports on his latest venture, a symphony for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
Chris Adams plays the violin and the piano. Between teaching music classes at Henderson's Liston College, he is writing scores for Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
As the orchestra's composer in residence, Mr Adams is "keeping quite busy'' juggling his work and residency commitments.
But his year-long residency is almost at an end, and it will be marked with the world premiere performance of Anastasis, Mr Adams' major composition for the orchestra.
"I really want the piece to make an emotional connection with the listener, and I've tried to play around with the contrasting sounds of the different sections in the orchestra,'' says Mr Adams, explaining that the piece blends tango influences with softer dance movements.
"I really wanted to try something different from what I was brought up playing, which was music by guys that had died hundreds of years ago. I wanted something that I feel people could really relate to.''
The symphony took him just two months to write, while he was teaching part-time.
"For me, the writing time generally varies. I've written some shorter pieces in a couple of weeks, and others have taken me six months.''
The orchestra will test the results this week, and rehearsals will begin for the premiere. The concert will also feature music by Benjamin Britten and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Mr Adams started playing the violin when he was 5, and has his mother to thank for making him stick to playing music. He began to compose his own music at high school, and wrote his first orchestral piece in 2001.
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's manager of artistic planning, Antony Ernst, says Mr
Adams is one of Auckland's best composers.
"We've really enjoyed working with him, and he has done a lot with the educational side of the residency because he is a teacher and he really understands what is needed to work with young people. He has quite a quirky way of working and we like to think that fits in with what we try to do here at the orchestra.''
Liston's deputy principal Paul Houghton says Mr Adams has kept up with all of his school
commitments during his residency.
"He does a lot around the school in the wider music department, and the students get along with him very well. We are all very proud of him and we expect that his residency will be very beneficial to the school.''
Mr Houghton says a group of staff and students will be at the concert next week to
support Mr Adams.
Chris Adams' symphony will debut at the APN News & Media Premier Series Houstoun
Plays Beethoven, on Thursday September 3, 8pm at Auckland Town Hall.