Events Calendar

Autumn Romance

The Central Otago Regional Orchestra is delighted to present it’s April concert series, 'Autumn Romance', where the orchestra will join with internationally renowned pianist Kinga Krupa presenting a programme with flavours of romance which ranges from Beethoven to Paganini, Tchaikovsky to Grieg.  The planning and concept for this autumn concerts series with Kinga has been several years in the making, and promises to be well worth the wait! 

On Saturday the 6th of April, at 7.30 pm, the orchestra and Kinga will perform together at the newly renovated Alexandra Memorial Theatre, with the theatre's grand piano. The theatre has been upgraded in its  safety and staging so having a 40 piece orchestra as one of its first performances is great for our Alexandra audience.

Sunday, the 7th of April, will see the concert series moving to Queenstown for the first time in a number of years. Here, Kinga and our Queenstown-based players look forward to performing in front of a home audience at the Queenstown Memorial Theatre at 2pm. 

Originally from Poland, but living in Queenstown since 2017, Kinga obtained her B.Mus. (Hons.) in Piano Performance and Teaching from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland. Since moving to New Zealand, she has also completed a Master of Musical Artis in Piano Performance with Distinction at Victoria University, Wellington, studying with Jian Liu. Kinga is passionate about performing both as a pianist and a public speaker with the goal of enriching communities through high-quality music and music education. On a daily basis, she shares her knowledge through educating the students she works with in piano, music theory and the history of music. Since 2022 Kinga has been the Council Member of the Institute of Music Teachers of New Zealand (IRMTNZ) representing Otago. Other contributions she has made are to the organisation of the Whakitipu Music Festival (2021,2022) and the Michael Hill International Violin Competition (2023)

Kinga has performed across various countries in Europe including Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Spain and Ireland. She has also toured the South Island of New Zealand as chamber musician and Soloist in 2019 and 2022. She is very excited to collaborate with The Central Otago Regional Orchestra and we are delighted that this experienced musician will be our soloist at this upcoming April concert series.

The pieces in which she will demonstrate her prowess on the keyboard are the major work Beethoven’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor ‘and the ‘Rachmaninov Variation 18’. The orchestra’s musicians are enjoying these works with their recurring themes and look forward to meshing with the cadenzas and solos of Kinga’s keyboard.

Complementing these two works will be two pieces by Tchaikovsky. ‘Alla Tedesca’ from Symphony in D Major, Op. 29, and the well-loved ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Movement No 5 where the lilting waltz will transport you to the ballet itself as well as ballrooms of the past. Not least will be Grieg’s ‘Sigurd Jorsalfar’, (three orchestra pieces from the Incidental Music), Op.56). From its Introduction in the Kings Hall, it moves on to the dream-like (at times a little dark!) Intermezzo and the marching third movement, ‘Huldigungmarsch’ These pieces originated as incidental music for a play by Bjornson, but were later adapted for orchestra and premiered in Leipzig in 1893.

The orchestra is once again delighted to perform under the baton of conductor Ashley Hopkins, who has successfully guided the orchestra in numerous programmes over the last few years.  Ashley has previously directed the Auckland Secondary Schools Orchestra and conducted for the North Shore Concert Band. Ashley performed for years as an associate player for the Auckland Philharmonia and has also played with the NZSO. Ashley and his wife, Jacqui, both currently play with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Ashley is also a member of the North Island based OPUS professional orchestra, and has led the Roxburgh Pioneer Energy Brass band for the last 3 years. 

All of the above means that our audiences are in for a wonderful concert series. This is a series that you must not miss! Put it in your calendar now.

Tickets ($25 with school children free) are available at:

Unichem Alexandra Pharmacy, Alexandra

Lakes District Museum, Arrowtown

Unichem Summerfield’s Pharmacy. Frankton

And https://www.undertheradar.co.nz

Location

Alexandra Memorial Theatre and Queenstown Memorial Theatre