Work
Overture: Aotearoa
for orchestra
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About
Lilburn was a student when he wrote Overture: Aotearoa. It was premiered in 1940, as part of the New Zealand Centennial Matinee at His Majesty’s Theatre in London. Although it did not receive its New Zealand premiere until 1959 it has since received numerous performances and several recordings. Described as a work of "unabashed optimism", Lilburn noted that it had a, "freshness and exhilaration".
Contents note
one movement
Performance history
15 Apr 1940: Written for the New Zealand Centennial Matinee in London and first performed at His Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket, by the Sadlers Wells Orchestra conducted by Warwick Braithwaite
20 Nov 1979: Performed by the NZSO, conductor Michi Inoue
11 Oct 1997: Performed by the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Sewell, in Mansfield, Ohio, USA.
20 Nov 1998: Performed by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Sewell, in Toledo, Ohio, USA.
14 Oct 2000: Performed by the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Sewell, in Wichita, Kansas, USA.
01 Jun 2006: Performed by Goldsmiths College Symphony Orchestra (Rupert Bond, conductor) at Goldsmiths College, London
02 Jun 2006: Performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Marc Taddei (cond.) at Melbourne Town Hall
23 Feb 2008: CSO: Fantastique
28 Mar 2008: NZSO March: Wellington
04 Apr 2008: NZSO April: Auckland
09 Apr 2008: NZSO April: Dunedin
10 Apr 2008: NZSO April: Christchurch
05 Aug 2008: Contemporary Visions
28 Jun 2009: Wellington Chamber Orchestra concert
27 Mar 2010: The Great Outdoors
16 May 2010: WYO 50th Anniversary
19 Jun 2010: Sibelius
16 Sep 2010: “Kiwi Tracks” Air on Hawaii Public Radio
08 Nov 2010: Performed by The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and conducted by Pietari Inkinen, at Victoria Hall, in Geneva.
28 Jan 2011: Performed by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra with conductor Grant Cooper
29 Jan 2011: Performed by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra with conductor Grant Cooper
26 Mar 2011: Dvořák, Debussy and Lilburn - CSO
23 Mar 2012: Performed by the Opus Orchestra, conducted by Peter Walls, at the Gallagher Theatre, Hamilton.
24 Mar 2012: Performed by the Opus Orchestra, conducted by Peter Walls, at the Civic Theatre, Rotorua.
25 Mar 2012: Performed by the Opus Orchestra, conducted by Peter Walls, at the Great Lakes Centre, Taupo.
06 Feb 2014: NZSO National Youth Orchestra 2014 | Summer Concert (Wellington)
07 Feb 2014: NZSO National Youth Orchestra 2014 | Summer Concert (Napier)
21 Mar 2015: CSO | Sea to Sky
18 Jun 2015: APO: NZ Herald Premier Series | Enigma Variations
18 Oct 2015: Manawatu Sinfonia | Tchaikowsky and Lilburn
14 Apr 2018: Shlomo Mintz plays Tchaikovsky (DSO)
17 May 2018: Organ Symphony
16 Mar 2019: Performed by the Folkestone Symphony (Rupert Bond, conductor) in Folkestone, UK
27 Jul 2019: Performed by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, conductor Benjamin Northey, at the Christchurch Town Hall
27 Jul 2019: Christchurch Symphony Orchestra | Spirit of Adventure
Featuring: Gareth Farr
16 Nov 2019: Manukau Symphony Orchestra: Magic Mozart
Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Hopkins
Performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Performed by the NZBC Symphony Orchestra (now New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) conducted by John Hopkins
Performed by the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra conducted by Ashley Heenan in 1986
Performed by the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra 1975 conducted by Ashley Heenan
Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Young
Performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Masahito Enkoji
08 Dec 2024: Wellington City Orchestra performs Lilburn and Ritchie
23 May 2025: NZSO | Echoes of Home (Wellington)
25 May 2025: NZSO | Echoes of Home (Christchurch)