‘So much young talent’

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 27

‘So much young talent’

By

DEBORAH MCPHERSON

The Christchurch Youth Orchestra’s conductor, John Young, will wield his baton a final time at the orchestra’s last concert of the year on Friday at Christchurch Cathedral.

Young has been the orchestra’s conductor for the last three years, draw- ’ ing favourable attention from critics for their performances. He is planning to travel overseas next year.

He pays tribute to the youth orchestra members, saying the standard is excellent. “There is just so much music talent in the youth of New Zealand.” Young says he likes the avante garde or contemporary instrumental style of music. “I’m interested in any new music written in the last 10 years.” Young hopes to "see what is happening in the music world” during his travels. He is also hoping to take a composing course in England next October if the opportunity arises.

As a composer himself, Young has written works for the Christchurch School of Instrumental Music, the Skellerup Brass Band, Continuum, and the Karlheinz Company of the University of Auckland.

As well as the C.Y.O. his conducting has included engagements with the University of Canterbury’s string orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra at the 1988 Summertimes “Classical Sparks” concert. Young has also been director of the Continuum, the contemporary music ensemble of the C.S.O.

After completing a music degree with honours at the University of

Canterbury in 1984, Young has been a parttime tutor in composition at the university’s School of Music.

Friday’s concert features some of the senior players as soloists.

A trombonist, lain Hunter, who has several times been selected for the New Zealand Youth Orchestra and the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra, will play Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Concerto for Trombone and Band.” Another New Zealand Youth Orchestra trumpet player, Martin Howie, and a performance music student at Burnside High School, Brian Gilkison, play in Vivaldi’s “Con-

certo for Two Trumpets and Strings.” A group of eight cellists will perform a brief work by Villa-Lobos, with Sarah Harris singing soprano. The cellists include Simon Rogers, a member of the trio which won the 1988 national Westpac/Music Federation school music contest, and James Bush, who was highly commended in the recent Television New Zealand Young Musicians Competition.

In addition to the other items for full orchestra, the orchestra will perform works by Beethoven, Offenbach and Shostakovich. The concert will be held from 12.40 to 1.30 p.m.