Centrestage: Music student and cello prodigy Santiago Canon Valencia is set to play Schnittke’s sonata for the first time in concert.
Waikato’s contemporary music ensemble OKTA will present three world premieres at its concert this week.
Premieres
The first is Canadian film music composer Teresa Connor’s new collaborative multi-media piece Terroir. Captured entirely on an old cell phone, the raw data used to create Terroir was collected by Canadian filmmaker Shannon Harris over a two year period.
Waikato music lecturer David Griffiths’ new cello sonata “The Cage”, which will be performed for the first time by James Tennant and Katherine Austin duo, explores themes of entrapment and prison and is based on a theme written when the composer was only 18.
Alumni Rachael Morgan’s piece for string quartet “Interiors” will also receive its world premier. Inspired by the music of Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi, Morgan’s work explores the timbral possibilities of the single note.
Classic to cutting edge
“The concert will be an eclectic blend of 20th century classics and cutting edge premieres,” says Mike Williams, senior lecturer in the music programme at the University of Waikato.
Cello prodigy Santiago Canon Valencia will play Schnittke’s sonata for cello and piano for the first time in concert.
Bartok’s second rhapsody for violin and piano will be played by Lara Hall and Katherine Austin.
The OKTA concert is on Thursday 23 August, 7.30pm at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts. Tickets will be available at the door: $10 adults, $5 students.