The Manukau Symphony Orchestra will perform The Resolute, written by Adrien de Croy. Photo / Tadashi Jokagi
The Manukau Symphony Orchestra will perform The Resolute, written by Adrien de Croy. Photo / Tadashi Jokagi
There are precedents. Scientists and mathematicians and the like, who are also gifted musicians. The composer Borodin was one. Queen guitarist Brian May is now famously Sir Brian May, astrophysicist. Add to the list New Zealand software engineer/composer Adrien de Croy, whose Symphony No.1, The Resolute, is premiered by ManukauSymphony Orchestra on March 15.
De Croy was among our first dotcommers to make it big. His success enabled him to indulge a love of music, and led to him buying York Street Recording Studio in Auckland, and found a record label, Siren, home to Goldenhorse and Opshop. That’s less Flash Harry than the realisation of a childhood passion.
“When I was a nipper, my mum dragged me to violin lessons, so I’ve played in orchestras since I was 12,” he recalls. He still does, and has fiddled for St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra since 1995. Writing a symphony is something else, though. He has approached composition the way he does his business; as a problem to solve, and getting expert help when he needs it. He knows the right people, including composer Victoria Kelly, who is a chum from their time in Auckland Youth Orchestra (AYO).
“I had a serious case of impostor syndrome,” de Croy says. “I asked Victoria, ‘What do you do about the existential dread, self-worth, all these kinds of things?’ She said you have to follow your inner voice.”
Kelly also recommended a tutor, so de Croy sought out highly regarded teacher and arranger Ryan Youens. De Croy also turned to conductor Uwe Grodd, who was on the podium for de Croy’s first rehearsal with the AYO, and is now artistic director of Manukau Symphony Orchestra (MSO). “I talked to a conductor because they have to take a score and make it work,” de Croy says. “He told me things like the solo flute wouldn’t be heard above the bassoons, and that the brass players run out of stamina so you have to swap between them.”
Grodd also told the composer that he’d like to perform the work in concert with the MSO, a welcome surprise far too good to turn down. The symphony is de Croy’s response to the conflict in Ukraine.
“It’s not explicit, but those events found their way in. I have a few little bits of hope in there; it’s not completely bleak, more struggle and, hopefully, triumph. It’s interesting conveying meaning in music, and I found early on you could say things musically you can’t say in words. I guess it’s what draws people to composing, being able to say things on another level.”
Manukau Symphony Orchestra – The Resolute; Due Drop Events Centre, Manukau, Saturday, March 15, 7.30pm.
