APO Works with Words at Writers & Readers Festival

The 2011 Writers & Readers Festival gets off to a musical start with Works with Words, a concert presented on 11 May by Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

It’s the culmination of a two-year project that saw six local composers setting texts by New Zealand writers, with comment and guidance from two of the country’s most respected musical hands, John Psathas and Kenneth Young.

There’s a long and noble history of setting literature to music. Beethoven wrote music to Schiller’s words, and many of Schubert’s greatest lieder are settings of Goethe poems.

In New Zealand, Alistair Campbell’s ‘Return’ was set to music by Douglas Lilburn, while Hone Tuwhare and James K Baxter have had poems interpreted by contemporary musicians.

The words of both the latter two appear in White Feathers, with music by John Elmsly, a composer who has been at the forefront of the New Zealand classical scene since the 1970s.

At the other end of the spectrum in terms of experience is Alex Taylor, recipient of the 2010 NZSO-Todd Young Composer Award, who for his piece Attention! has used extracts from parliamentary speeches.

The composers’ music is given life by the APO, while Stuart Devenie, actor, Arts Laureate and a fixture in theatres and on screens for many years, interprets the words.

“Stuart is one of the legends of New Zealand theatre and working with him has been a treat,” says composer Robbie Ellis, who adapts Renee Liang’s monologue The Lover’s Knot. “Stuart’s characterisation of Walter Bolton, the old man at the centre of the piece, is outstanding.”

For Stephen Matthews’s Witnessing Parihaka, with words by Robert Sullivan, Devenie is joined on stage by fellow actor Te Kohe Tuhaka and others affiliated with the Taranaki town of the work’s title, a place that has such resonances for New Zealanders.

There’s surely a feeling of coming full circle for Chris Adams. A former APO Composer-In-Residence, his composition Antonyms of Trust has been workshopped with the orchestra’s current Composer-In-Residence, John Psathas, and Composer-Mentor Ken Young.

Yvette Audain says she found working with others a stimulating experience.

“I think most of us generally compose alone, almost in a vacuum,” she says. “By contrast, this was quite collaborative. I had to interpret the words in a way that resonated with me but at the same time I felt a responsibility to the author.

“It was helpful having Ken Young and John Psathas on board; they are experienced composers providing another set of ears, and it was especially beneficial having Ken, a fellow composer, at the front of the orchestra as conductor.”

Who: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Stuart Devenie perform works by Chris Adams, Yvette Audain, Robbie Ellis, John Elmsly, Stephen Matthews and Alex Taylor

What: Works With Words, for Auckland Writers & Readers Festival

Where: Auckland Town Hall

Where: Aotea Centre, Auckland

When: Wednesday 11 May, 8pm

Book: THE EDGE 09 357 3355 or www.buytickets.co.nz

Biographical Information

John Psathas
As the composer of ceremonial music for the 2004 Olympics, John Psathas is one of a few New Zealand composers to make a mark overseas, and his music has been commissioned and performed by many great international artists and orchestras. John is the APO’s Composer-In-Residence.

Kenneth Young
A regular conductor with New Zealand’s leading orchestras, Kenneth Young’s musical development began in his teens, when a teacher encouraged him to write, conduct and study. Ken has received commissions to write music for many orchestras and arts organisations, and he is the APO’s current Composer Mentor.

Stuart Devenie, MNZM
Stuart Devenie’s distinguished career has spanned three decades. He has taken lead rolls in many well-loved plays, and directed the Auckland Theatre Company. Stuart has appeared in numerous television dramas, including Mercy Peak and Spin Doctors, and he is also one of New Zealand’s top voiceover artists.

Chris Adams
Chris Adams is the Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago. He was the Auckland Philharmonia’s Composer-in-Residence (2009) and the inaugural University of Otago Wallace artist-in-residence at the Pah Homestead. sounz.org.nz/contributor/composer/1230

Yvette Audain
Yvette Audain holds a Master of Music in composition from Victoria University and a Bachelor of Music in composition and clarinet from the University of Auckland. Her music has been performed throughout New Zealand as well as in Australia, Japan and the USA.

Robbie Ellis
Born on the North Shore, Robbie Ellis studied composition at the University of Auckland and now lives in Wellington, where he works for Radio New Zealand Concert. He is also a noted performer of music for improvised theatre, including theatresports.

John Elmsly
John Elmsly has a long association with the APO: three of the orchestra’s CDs have included his Cello Symphony, Pacific Hockets, and Resound! His instrumental, vocal and electroacoustic works have been performed in many countries, and he is Associate-Professor of composition at the University of Auckland.

Stephen Ralph Matthews
Born in Heretaunga, Stephen Ralph Matthews is a composer, multimedia artist, lecturer and performer. Many of his works reference images and sounds drawn from the land and incorporate m?teatea and taonga p?oru. A recording of his composition Te Ao M?rama is available from Atoll records.

Alex Taylor
Alex Taylor is a Master’s student in composition at Auckland University whose works have been performed and workshopped by a wide range of musicians. His Six Pieces for Orchestra won the Orchestra Choice prize at the 2010 NZSO-Todd Young Composer Awards.