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Ben Hoadley (bassoon), Peter Scholes (conductor)

Auckland Chamber Orchestra

Alex Taylor

Alex Taylor Photo: Sounz

Tonight’s concert comes from the Auckland Chamber Orchestra’s 2014 series. In the programme we have the Chamber Symphony Op.110a by Shostakovich- an arrangement of his String Quartet No.8 by Rudolph Barshai, the founding violist of the Borodin Quartet.

In the second half of the programme you’ll hear the world premiere performance of Auckland composer Alex Taylor’s Bassoon Concert with soloist Ben Hoadley.

“I cannot speak for all listeners, but for me the bassoon is one of the most personal of all instruments. It speaks not grandly or with perfect eloquence but with an immediacy and intimacy that is quite special. The bassoon concerto was an opportunity to create an extended work exploring the melodic line, and to push the limits of Ben’s exquisite upper register. The work consists of three slow movements interrupted by two tiny silver of energetic activity- ruptures in a continuous static texture.” Alex Taylor

Recorded at the Music Theatre, University of Auckland by RNZ Concert