Classics for Koha: Local music community comes together for concert

Professional saxophonist and teacher Yevhenia Zinenko will perform Glazunov’s Saxophone Concerto.

The local music community is coming together, with Hawke’s Bay Orchestra set to be joined by players from around the region in a Classics for Koha concert in Napier.

The concert will be held on Saturday, May 3, at 6.30pm and entry is by koha or donation.

HBO’s orchestra manager Alice Sip says: “We are thrilled to be able to put on a concert that not only involves our community’s musicians, but that also is accessible to the broader community. It’s a way of getting music into people’s lives, some of whom may not have experienced the joy of classical music before.”

Jose Aparicio will once again conduct the orchestra through a programme of Stravinsky Suites for Small Orchestra, the Glazunov’s Saxophone Concerto, and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony.

Alexander Glazunov was one of the great masters of late Russian romanticism and was fascinated by the saxophone and by jazz. The concerto for alto saxophone is Glazunov’s last work and since its premiere in 1934, has become part of the standard saxophone repertoire.

Professional saxophonist and teacher Yevhenia Zinenko will perform the concerto. Yevhenia has a master’s degree in performing arts (saxophone) from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine, and has 21 years of experience as a performer in more than 15 countries.

The concert will be rounded out by the famous Symphony No 8 by Schubert – known as the Unfinished Symphony. Unusually, the symphony has only two movements instead of the standard three or four, and to this day musicologists still disagree as to why Schubert failed to complete the work.

“Having a soloist of Yevhenia’s quality and experience is wonderful and our audiences are in for a treat,” says Alice. “We are very grateful for the support from the Tasman Smith Trust to be able to put on this concert. We have fabulous musical talent in our region and we encourage everyone to come and support the players.”

What: Hawke’s Bay Orchestra and friends present Classics for Koha

When: Saturday, May 3, 6.30pm

Where: St Paul’s Church, Tennyson St, Napier

Admission: At the door by koha (donation)