Ashley Heenan As Conductor

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32313, 3 June 1970, Page 8

Ashley Heenan As Conductor

Ashley Heenan, one of | 1 New Zealand’s best- j known musicians, will be seen on Sunday after- i noon in a role new to Christchurch audiences —as conductor of the Civic Orchestra in the second of its “Music 70” j concert series.

Mr Heenan (shown above) is musical director of the N.Z.B.C. orchestral trainees, conductor of the National Youth Orchestra, and conductor for the New Zealand Ballet Trust. But although he has frequently visited Christchurch as conductor for the ballet company, he has not yet appeared on the concert platform with the Civic Orchestra. For his concert in the Civic Theatre on Sunday, Mr Heenan has chosen a programme of music by six varying composers, ranging from Strauss and Schubert to a contemporary New Zealander. Peter Wilton, who shared Arst prize in the 1970 Christchurch concerto competition, will be the guest soloist in the popular Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra by Cim-

arosa. This work is a transcription of some of Cimarosa’s piano pieces by Arthur Benjamin. Mr Wilton has been a member of the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra since the beginning of the year. Earlier, he was principal oboeist with the National Youth Orchestra for I three years and performed ' often with the Lindsay I String Orchestra in Welling- . ton.

The programme will open with the overture, “Fra Diavolo,” by Auber. a noted Parisian composer of operas. The overture will make a bright opening, with its delicate melodies, simple harmonies and effective orchestration. On the lighter side, the orchestra will present well | known pieces by Johann Strauss and the popular i “Coppelia” ballet suite by I Delibes. The two major works will Ibe the Symphony No. 5 in B flat major by Franz Schubert, and the “Ring Round the Moon” suite by the Wellington composer, David Farquhar. “Ring Round the Moon” is a short selection of dance 1 movements, incidental music I to the play of the same name.