William McNeill will be home for a touch of Kiwi sun and a concert on December 15.
Palmerston North French hornist William McNeill has an early Christmas present for local music lovers.
Now based in Germany, McNeill is giving up a German Christmas semester break of mulled wine, spice cakes and Christmas markets along with a liberal dusting of snow for a couple of weeks of Kiwi
summer to visit family and friends.
While back home the former Boys' High student will give a public recital with pianist Guy Donaldson at the Evelyn Rawlins Room to say thank you for local support for his studies.
The young musician has nearly completed his postgraduate music studies in Weimar, Germany, with top European horn teacher Jörg Brückner – only one of four students accepted out of over 24 applicants.
"A lot of people in Palmy have been very supportive of my studies.
"A concert is a nice way to say thank you, and I can show people what I have been doing for the last few years.
"I will be playing a programme that really shows off the horn – some big brassy sounds, along with soaring melodies."
McNeill has been blowing up a storm.
Awarded a Creative New Zealand scholarship this year, he has mixed study with learning on the job – regularly playing with the Rotterdam Philharmonic along with other Dutch and German orchestras.
