Leppänen recreates Baroque classics

The Baroque Innovations tour, led by NZSO Concertmaster Vesa-Matti Leppänen is a rare opportunity to experience Biber at his best. Picture supplied

Experience the magic of Baroque  music in Gisborne as iconic concertmaster Vesa-Matti Leppänen leads the Baroque Innovations Tour this month.

The tour is organised by New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and arrives at the War Memorial Theatre with its musical selections from a landmark work by legendary Baroque violin virtuoso Heinrich Biber.

The Bohemian composer’s Harmonia artificioso-ariosa, written in 1696, is one of the greatest compositions of the Baroque era. The masterpiece includes what were at the time unusual tunings which resulted in extraordinarily complex harmonies and polyphonic effects.

An outstanding Baroque violinist, Biber wrote many pieces for the instrument, including sonatas for violin and another stringed instrument or keyboard.

Leppänen looks to recreate such magical moments of the composer.

The concertmaster was born and raised in Turku, Finland, and moved to New Zealand in 2000.

He was appointed NZSO concertmaster in 2003 and has earned international recognition for his musicianship as a chamber musician, teacher, jurist, and soloist.

Leppänen has performed as soloist with all the major orchestras in New Zealand.

With the NZSO he has performed Sibelius, Lalo, Mozart and Bach concertos as well as works by leading New Zealand composers. As a soloist with the NZSO he has also recorded works by Lyell Cresswell and Ken Young.

Internationally, Leppänen has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Australia, China, Japan, Philippines and Scandinavia.

In 2005 he led the NZSO on its European/Japanese Tour and again in 2010 including unforgettable performances in the Musikverein in Vienna and Lucerne Festival Hall. On both of those tours he was also featured as a soloist.

He has worked alongside internationally renowned soloists Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, Pinchas Zukerman and Janine Jansen, to name a few. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Japan Philharmonic, Tasmanian Symphony and Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. He’s also a member of Irons/Leppänen/Joyce piano trio, which performs regularly.

Leppänen teaches at the New Zealand School of Music and has given masterclasses and coached the NZSO National Youth Orchestra and the Asian Youth Orchestra. He is also a jury member in the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

The NZSO continues to be praised for its performances of the best music by Baroque composers. Wellington’s The Post hailed the Orchestra’s performance of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons as “a triumph”.

To book your tickets visit https://my.nzso.co.nz/7309/7312