The Auckland Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

community-based

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...

formed in 1975 by founding musical director Gary Daverne . The ASO has developed a following and reputation for high quality performances of popular classics from the symphonic repertoire and music from stage and screen, often playing to capacity and turn-away audiences. Its eighty-plus players are drawn from all parts of

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

and from all walks of life, including professional people who have chosen a career outside of music. The ASO provides an opportunity to these people to enjoy weekly rehearsals of symphonic music, playing without payment and purely for the pleasure of making good music together. It also supports local young soloists, giving them the opportunity to perform in concert with a full symphony orchestra. The orchestra's main philosophy is that music should be fun and enjoyed by players and audiences alike – hence the regular Free Family concerts that are offered in Auckland with out-of-town concerts in areas where a live performance by a symphony orchestra is a rare event. Regular annual features of the orchestra are the Free Family concerts, performances of

Last Night of the Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert H ...

and the Christmas Sing Along with local Pacific Island church choirs. Since 2013, ASO has also made annual tours to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, to perform at the

Kerikeri Kerikeri () is the largest town in Northland, New Zealand. It is a tourist destination north of Auckland and north of the northern region's largest city, Whangarei. It is sometimes called the Cradle of the Nation, as it was the site of th ...

Turner Centre.

History

The Auckland Symphony Orchestra was formed as a result of a 30th anniversary reunion of players from the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra (JSO, known today as th
Auckland Youth Orchestra
and a surprise 60th birthday party of its former long term conductor, Dr.

Charles Nalden Charles Nalden (born John Leslie Simpson; 16 March 1908 – 17 June 2002) was a British and New Zealand musician and professor at the University of Auckland. Born out of wedlock, at the age of 29 days

. Gary Daverne, a former clarinettist of the JSO and then a musical theatre conductor, was given the task of directing the reunion orchestra of some eighty players. Music was chosen from past programmes, on only three rehearsals. The full contingent of players did not appear until the performance night. Based upon the success of the reunion many of the players expressed an interest for forming a permanent orchestra. Gary Daverne was chosen as music director and conductor and along with the administrative skills of Patricia Goddard, a former contra bass player in the JSO and a very strong, dedicated lady, the Music Players of Auckland was formed with approximately forty players. They gave their first concert in November 1975 and quickly expanded in size to over sixty players. Two years later the name was changed to the Auckland Symphony Orchestra. Patricia Goddard retired from the orchestra in the late 1980s and Gary Daverne ONZM retired in December 2010 after thirty-five years at the helm. Peter Thomas, an Auckland-based conductor and music educator, was appointed as Gary's successor and remained the Music Director and Conductor until his retirement from the orchestra in 2021.

Concert halls

In the beginning years the orchestra made its home at St. Mary's Anglican Cathedral in Parnell, moving in the early 1990s to the newly constructed

Aotea Centre The Aotea Centre is a performing arts and events centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Located at the western edge of Aotea Square, off Queen Street, the centre provides a cultural, entertainment and conventions venue space in the heart of the city ...

and Bruce Mason Centre concert halls and later to the refurbished Auckland Town Hall.

2007 China tour

In April 2007 the Auckland Symphony Orchestra with conductor Gary Daverne toured China, where they performed successful concerts to large, enthusiastic and appreciative audiences in the cities of Shanghai, Shi Jia Zhuang and Beijing. The concerts in Beijing and Shanghai were televised and the Shanghai concert was screened for one hour on prime time television (Sunday evening 7 – 8pm), to an estimated viewing audience of 143 million. Politicians, high-ranking government officials and dignitaries attended all concerts.

Gallery

File:Auckland-symphony-orchestra-dancers.jpg, Auckland Symphony Orchestra with Irish Dancers at the Last Night of the Proms, Bruce Mason Centre File:Peter-thomas-auckland-symphony-orchestra.jpg, Former Auckland Symphony Conductor Peter Thomas with the Orchestra

References

External links

Auckland Symphony Orchestra

Peter Thomas, ASO Music Director and Conductor

Gary Daverne ONZM, ASO Music Director Emeritus

Auckland Youth Orchestra

Media

Youth of Auckland, written by Gary Daverne, performed by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, China Tour 2007, televised by CTV Channel 9 to an estimated 143 million viewers

The Auckland March, written by Gary Daverne, performed by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Town Hall concert, November 2010

Pirates of the Caribbean, performed by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Town Hall concert, November 2012

A Musical Party, written by Gary Daverne, performed by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra with accordionist Stephanie Poole, Auckland Town Hall concert, November 2012
{{authority control New Zealand orchestras Musical groups from Auckland Symphony orchestras Musical groups established in 1975