It had the makings of every orchestra's worst nightmare: a concert without a conductor, just 48 hours before a performance.
To complicate matters, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's Pathetique programme included the New Zealand premiere of the iconic 1992 Violin Concerto by Gyorgy Ligeti, one of the Titans of 20th century music.
There must have been sighs of relief when salvation was found locally in Hamish McKeich, who has always conducted well above his weight when it comes to the contemporary. The evening set off with a sampling of McKeich's finesse, a beautifully contoured Gayane Adagio by Khachaturian, showcasing orchestral strings and harp.
The music of Gyorgy Ligeti is a world unto itself, firmly rooted in his Hungarian soil in terms of that country's folk music, yet reaching for new sonic galaxies with his highly explorative and colouristic palette.
Soloist Andrew Beer, taking on this world in Ligeti's concerto, was an intrepid voyager. Indeed, the violinist's own cadenza, described as a collage of clips from the score, summarised the composer's larger journey in perfect miniature.
