A Dash of Daring in Aotearoa

• Published in: Queen's quarterly Vol. 123; no. 2; pp. 220 - 229
• Main Author: Friesen, Eric
• Format: Journal Article Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kingston Queen's Quarterly 22.06.2016
• Subjects: Benue-Congo languages; Children; Classical music; Criticism and interpretation; Cultural policy; Dutch language; Finnish language; Music; Music and society; Musical performances; Orchestras; Radio; Symphony orchestra societies; Travel; New Zealand
• ISSN: 0033-6041

It is my first "live" taste of music made in New Zealand, and already, after just a few days, I have confirmed what a profound commitment to classical music and the arts there is in this small but highly cultured country. The NZSO is officially known as "the national orchestra of New Zealand," or in Ma - ori, "Te Tira Pu - oro o Aotearoa." It is, in fact, an autonomous crown entity, owned by the Government of New Zealand, enshrined in the NZSO Act of FDDH. The orchestra began its life in the EMGDs as a broadcast orchestra for Radio New Zealand (RNZ), and was part of RNZ until EMLL, when it was given its independence. Imagine a country in which the federal government owns and funds a MD-member symphony orchestra to about KG percent of its annual budget of CEM million dollars! Preceding [Edo de Waart] as leaders of this orchestra were the late Franz-Paul Decker, well known to Canadians, as well as James Judd, and most recently the young Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen. The New Zealand position would not on its surface appear to be the most prestigious offered him and comes with a punishing travel distance from Edo's home and young family in Madison, Wisconsin. He talks about loving the challenge of taking a good orchestra and helping them achieve their full potential. But he also responds to the warmth and welcome of the orchestra's board and management - and, he says with typical Dutch understatement, "coming from a flat country, the beautiful countryside of New Zealand doesn't hurt either." He looks forward to bringing his teenage children to visit in July. As for the NZSO's management, Chief Executive Christopher Blake tells me that in engaging Edo they were looking for someone with substantial music director experience and a deep knowledge of the core classical repertoire. ANOTHER EXAMPLE of New Zealand's commitment to art and culture is reflected by the country's national broadcaster, Radio New Zealand. RNZ has two terrestrial national networks: RNZ National, which is similar to RNZ Radio One, and RNZ Concert, which is very much like what RNZ Radio Two used to be. Unlike the reworked (and subtly renamed) RNZ Radio 2, RNZ Concert has retained its focus on classical music and broadcasting New Zealand's rich classical music concert programs, and in fact has just made a recommitment to its core mission by launching a renewal effort that imagines RNZ Concert as "a warm and engaging classical music network that develops a larger audience and still has a dash of daring." Leading this renewal is a young Canadian, HD-year-old David Houston, a former music producer on CBC programs Studio Sparks and Tempo, now elevated to radio programmer at RNZ Concert. David was one of the shining lights in the waning days of RNZ Radio Two as a classical network, and when his partner was transferred to New Zealand five years ago, David leftthe RNZ, moved to Wellington, and was almost immediately engaged by RNZ.