Gala Concert at the Auckland Town Hall

By William Dart

The university's music department came down the hill for its annual gala concert with an evening of music-making that deserved more audience support.

How often do you hear Khachaturian's Violin Concerto? Not enough, if the response on Sunday evening was anything to go by. This Soviet barn-stormer might not be my ideal desert island companion with its loud, garish colours, but it's an excellent showpiece.

Julia Dibley showed the form that won her the university's concerto competition. Playing her taxing part from memory, she had the sweetest tone for those cresting melodies and tapped into a prodigious energy when Khachaturian was at his most robust.

Perhaps her line occasionally slipped under the orchestra's carpet of sound, or wanted a little more "gypsy" in its veins, but these remain minor quibbles.

Conductor Uwe Grodd, in his short introduction from the podium, used the word "glamour" for Dvorak's Te Deum, the last word I would ever have associated with this composer.

In fact, this bracingly celebratory score is joyous as only Dvorak can be, opening with the nearest thing, this side of 1723, to Bach's Magnificat.

Row upon row of university choristers were resplendent, singing out over the thundering timpani and jubilant orchestra.

Soprano Glenese Blake beautifully delivered the "Sanctus" and baritone David Griffiths was imposing in his "Tu Rex, Gloriae". A few nervous moments in the later "Dignare, Domino" did not detract from impact of this stirring work.

The evening ended with Ravel's second Daphnis and Chloe Suite. Grodd caught the utter wonderment of it all, especially with the choral forces on hand.

The young orchestral musicians did Ravel proud, with his banks of swooning strings and delicious flute writing, and leader Vanessa Tam elegantly performed her short solo.

It might seem uncivil to complain at all after such an enjoyable evening, when concert music is clearly in such good hands, but I do have to ask one question.

Why, in an institution that is training our young composers, was there not a New Zealand work on this programme?