Manawatu Youth Orchestra rehearsal. Photo: Supplied / Manawatu Youth Orchestra
Palmerston North isn't waiting for a visiting orchestra to bring Brahms' mighty First Symphony to town.
The Manawatū Sinfonia and Manawatū Youth Orchestra are joining forces to play the work that even its composer shied away from.
You can put the bold programming choice down to the leadership of the Youth Orchestra's conductor (and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster), Vesa-Matti Leppänen.
Brahms was a slow starter when it came to writing symphonies. He wanted to write something worthy of the composer whose footsteps he was following in, Beethoven.
And it was the successful youth orchestra performance of Beethoven's 7th last year that encouraged Leppänen to aim even higher in 2025.
Vesa-Matti Leppänen: from Beethoven to Brahms. Photo: NZSO
His ambition gained the support of the Youth Orchestra's president Jeff McNeill, who also happens to be the president of the more senior Manawatū Sinfonia. The pair also hatched a plan to combine the orchestras to make sure the Brahms packed a maximum punch.
McNeill and Leppänen spoke with RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump ahead of the concert.
Despite being one of the most highly respected orchestral musicians in the country, Leppänen admitted it was quite a challenge taking on the leadership of Manawatū's youth ensemble.
McNeill says he couldn't believe his luck when Leppänen answered the job advertisement he put in the paper.
Music has been a big part of McNeill's life since his school days growing up in Papakura, South Auckland.
Teaching town planning by day, playing bassoon by night. Photo: supplied
While he wasn't able make a profession of it, he continues to combine playing the bassoon with the Manawatū Sinfonia with his day job at Massey University.
Crump asked Leppänen about his own school background growing up in Finland, where learning an instrument is free.
He says although Finland (with a similar population to New Zealand) has dozens of fully professional orchestras while Aotearoa has two, the amateur orchestra scene is possibly stronger in this country.
McNeill says it is getting harder to get young musicians in Palmerston North to commit to being in an orchestra. But if they have a great time performing Brahms on King's Birthday, maybe they'll tell their friends.
