RARE TREAT: The Heidelberg Youth Orchestra is touring New Zealand and will perform in Rotorua tomorrow night. PHOTO/FILE
RARE TREAT: The Heidelberg Youth Orchestra is touring New Zealand and will perform in Rotorua tomorrow night. PHOTO/FILE
A world-renowned youth orchestra stops off in Rotorua tomorrow night, thanks to the generosity of Rotary and Opus.
The Heidelberg Youth Orchestra conductor's daughter was previously hosted by Rotarians in New Zealand and she put out a call to see if she could generate some support for them.
As aresult, 18 concert dates were chosen and Rotorua hosts the group this weekend with a concert at St Luke's Church on Amohia St.
The orchestra is one of the best young chamber orchestras in Germany and renowned across Europe. The 20 young members play an ambitious repertoire in concerts across Europe and overseas, and in Rotorua they will perform pieces such as Mozart's Divertimento F major KV138, Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, Grieg's Holberg Suite and Guillaume Lekeu's Adagio.
Conductor Thomas Kalb was for many years the general music director of the City of Heidelberg. "This is a wonderful opportunity," said Margriet Theron, a member of the Rotary Club of Rotorua.
"Their first concert was in Kerikeri on Tuesday and we've had wonderful feedback about it. They get wonderful comments wherever they perform.
"We're quite privileged to get them in Rotorua, as they travel regularly across Europe and the United States."
The orchestra often perform charity concerts for Rotary across the world and for this tour its members are being billeted by Rotarians and friends of the Opus Orchestra. Their 18-concert spring tour features performances with the National Youth Orchestra and the Christchurch Cathedral Youth Orchestra.
The Rotorua concert is at St Luke's Church from 7.30pm. Tickets are available on the door and are $20 for adults, $15 students/seniors and a gold coin for children.
