25 Dec 2025

NZSO – Summer Brass

From Music Alive, 8:00 pm on 25 December 2025
David Bremner playing trombone in front of a Christmas tree

Photo: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Acclaimed Australian conductor and trumpeter Yoram Levy leads an ensemble that showcases the power and precision of the NZSO Brass and Percussion musicians. This programme will stir the soul and ignite the holiday spirit.

 

NZSO Brass Ensemble

Horn players: Manuel Escauriaza, Alex Hambleton, Shadley van Wyk, Sebastian Dunn, Rebecca Luton.

Trumpets (also flugelhorn): Michael Kirgan, Mark Carter, David Johnson & Matt Stein

Trombones: David Bremner, Matthew Allison, Scott Kinmont & Shannon Pittaway

Tuba: Andrew Jarvis

Timpani Larry Reese

Percussion: Lenny Sakofsky and Sam Rich

 

Programme

BACH arr Mowat: Brandenburg Concerto No 3 in G BWV1048

BARBER: Mutations from Bach

TOMASI: Fanfares Liturgiques

TRAD arr DiLorenzo: Joy To The World

LAURIDSEN arr Buerkle: O Magnum Mysterium

TORME arr Mowat: The Christmas Song

BERNARD arr Buerkle: Winter Wonderland

PIERPONT arr Di Lorenzo: Jingle Bells Swing-a-Ling-Ding

ANDERSON arr Wasson: Sleigh Ride

 

BACH arr Mowat: Brandenburg Concerto No 3 in G BWV1048

Originally written for strings, Christopher Mowat made this arrangement for the famed Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Mowat says this version imagines what Bach might have done if he’d had modern brass instruments at his disposal - that means instruments Bach never knew like the tuba, and today’s horn and trumpet.

BARBER: Mutations from Bach

Samuel Barber’s Mutations from Bach takes the plainsong Christe, du Lamm Gottes (Christ, Thou Lamb of God) and repeatedly re-harmonises the song.

TOMASI: Fanfares Liturgiques

Henri Tomasi’s Fanfares liturgiques come from his opera Don Juan de Mañara, which centres around the main character, Miguel, whose love for the pure and innocent Girolama allows him to turn away from a life of sin. Her death soon after their marriage triggers a crisis of faith, which Miguel overcomes by becoming a monk, devoting himself to good works.

Matthew Allison plays his trombone in front of a Christmas tree. The foreground features another trombone and a music stand.

Photo: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

TRAD arr DiLorenzo: Joy to the World

LAURIDSEN arr Buerkle: O Magnum Mysterium

TORME arr Mowat: The Christmas Song

BERNARD arr Buerkle: Winter Wonderland

PIERPONT arr DiLorenzo: Jingle Bells Swing-a-Ling-Ding

ANDERSON arr Wasson: Sleigh Ride

Producer: David McCaw

Sound Engineer: Darryl Stack

Recorded 5 December 2025 at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert