C.S.O. ‘could promote city’

Press, 6 September 1989, Page 9

C.S.O. ‘could promote city’

By

MICHAEL RENTOUL

The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra could play a big part in growth of the city and New Zealand, a visiting conductor says. Theodore Kuchar, who worked for four years in Finland before his 1987 appointment to the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, said the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra could spearhead a drive to make music the economic force it was in some European States. The orchestra’s tight finances should not put people off exploring alternatives, he said.

Finland, like New Zealand, had a reputation of being far away and therefore of having little to offer leading performers. Yet, in a cultural exchange hailed in Australia as the most important operatic event there since the 19505, the Finnish National Opera sent three of the world’s top opera singers for a three-week visit in February. It was followed by the Finnish Music Week in Brisbane, also paid for by the

organisations in Finland. Mr Kuchar said top artists were normally prevented from visiting New Zealand or Australia:.tours could last up to eight weeks as they performed with the orchestras who partly funded the trip. Singers were happy, however, to spend three weeks in Australia and to see a new country. Similar events could be held here; a festival -in which the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and visiting artists featured, could attract overseas tourists, he said. Mr Kuchar, born in New York, has worked with the Cleveland Orchestra and been awarded an Honorary Bronze Medal for his promotion of Finnish music. His wife, Ulla, a former solo violist with the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra, will play with the Christchurch Symphany Orchestra at the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturay from 8 p.m. Mr Kuchar will conduct the orchestra playing works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and JSibelius’ “Finlandia.” I?