Otago Festival of the Arts 2010 on Music Alive

Music Alive on Radio New Zealand Concert features recordings of two New Zealand pieces performed by the Southern Sinfonia.

Southern Sinfonia, under the baton of British conductor Simon Over, presented the world première performance of Symphony No. 3 by Anthony Ritchie on 9 October 2010 as part of the Otago Festival of the Arts. 2010 marks the fiftieth birthday of this Dunedin composer and the performance of his latest opus was a momentous occasion.

The Sinfonia also performed Papanui Road, a jaunty and evocative work by Anthony’s father, John Ritchie, Emeritus Professor of Music at Canterbury University. The work was written after the Richie family had moved to a house next to Papanui Road and sums up the experiences of that street.

Also on the programme was Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with soloist Bella Hristova. Last seen with the Southern Sinfonia in 2009, Hristova charmed the crowds with her virtuosic playing. She was the winner of the 2007 Michael Hill International Violin Competition and has been in demand on concert platforms around the world ever since.