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SOUNZ Films - a wonderful resource!

New Zealand’s art music scene is blessed with a diverse and gifted community of composers. Every major arts organization actively supports the creation of new work. Certainly NZTRIO, the NZ String Quartet, and the Auckland Philharmonia have a distinguished history in this regard. Orchestra Wellington must also be placed in this group, as we absolutely believe that the commissioning and performance of new work is key to the growth of our art form. Also, our audience expect it.

Orchestra Wellington has the longest-running composer in residence program in New Zealand, and the list of composers that we have championed includes many of the country’s greatest composers. You can watch a series of video conversations in this website’s media section with many of these wonderful artists that I made during the COVID epidemic when I had time on my hands!

Often, we have had multiple composers-in residence, allowing our audiences to experience the art of emerging composers. These emerging composers have often been mentored by the orchestra’s Patron (and composer in residence for many years) John Psathas, who takes a keen in interest in mentoring and collaboration.

It is great to perform these new works to audiences of 2000 or more, but what is really fabulous about the scene in NZ is that there are major arts organizations that are not performance-based, but provide extraordinary support in terms of disseminating art music to the country and the wider world.

I speak of the collaboration between Radio New Zealand and SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music.

The inception of SOUNZ Films stems from a desire to highlight the diversity of New Zealand’s musical landscape. In partnership with RNZ Concert and funded by NZ On Air, SOUNZ Films has produced recordings that foster international appreciation for New Zealand’s composers, ensuring their works reach both national and international audiences.

From the perspective of a professional orchestra, these videos have huge value. While there are ensembles around the world that have the budget to regularly record their performances (sometimes monetizing them), Orchestra Wellington simply can not justify the expense, realizing that the most-vital function of any orchestra is to serve their communities. However, in the case of these films, the content is simply too important, and we are deeply appreciative of the efforts of SOUNZ and RNZ, and the support of NZ On Air.

The quality of these films is world-class and the audio from RNZ Concert’s gifted engineers and producers really shows the performers in the best-possible light. In terms of the filming, it is imperative that the producer has musical knowledge. In the case of SOUNZ, that person is actually one of NZ’s finest composers, Chris Watson!

Chris is able to set up a myriad of unobtrusive cameras around the stage, and then, as if by magic, is able to produce riveting films that follow and support the musical discourse, finally syncing the imagery up with the RNZ Concert audio.

I am proud of the works that Orchestra Wellington has had a hand in commissioning and performing, and I proud of the quality of these performances. My colleagues have an uncommon commitment to contemporary music, recognizing its importance, and the resultant artistic standard of these performances is really special. For the orchestra, these videos are a chance to get its brilliant artistic level out to the wider world!

Obviously, a lot of the films focus on the music of John Psathas, as he held the title of Composer in Residence for three seasons. This period of time concluded with the release of a double LP, CD, and download of LEVIATHAN, an extraordinary collection of works that were premiered by Orchestra Wellington.

Of course, I urge you to purchase this album – the music is filled with genius, the soloists are amazing, and the orchestra pays out of its skin! It is also the largest budget classical release in New Zealand’s history, made possible by the generous support of the Margaret Doucas Trust. But, if you want to get a taste of the album, many of the works contained on it are available in their premiere live performances, documented by SOUNZ Films!