AYS

The Aotea Youth Symphony is Touring! Yes, after a longer wait than anticipated, the Aotea Youth Symphony departs Auckland on the 11th April for a two week tour to Germany.


A number of contacts in Germany have help catalyse the tour, in particular the chance of a return visit to Stuttgart to be hosted by Patrick Strub and the Christophorus Symphony Orchestra and numerous personal contacts, particularly past and present members of the AYS.

After several days in Stuttgart the AYS visits Freudenstadt, Bonn and Cologne with a final night in Frankfurt before returning to Auckland.

Highlights will include visits to many internationally famous sites and performances in venues that are also internationally renowned, as well as visiting fascinating places of interest that are off the general music lover’s tourist map

The opportunities provided by this tour to visit Germany, a country that over the centuries has contributed more than any other to classical music, is the a dream of a lifetime to the many dedicated AYS musicians. Not only do they get a chance to re-establish previous personal contacts (unfortunately for only a few of the older musicians and adults), but they get to visit places that are the hallowed ground of many classical composers who, to many of the musicians, are at present known by little more than the dots and lines of music scores.  Even at this late stage of just weeks from the tour, new enthusiastic members are turning up and auditioning for the tour!  Such is the attraction of the chance to visit some of Classical Music’s most interesting places in history.

Of course, not only do the German audiences get to hear the talents of the AYS on tour – Aucklanders too have an opportunity to hear the Tour program repertoire in a “Farewell Concert” at 7pm on Sunday 6th April, Mt Albert War Memorial Hall, Mt Albert.  Entry by donation – a concert not to be missed!  For further information, contact either Tour Manager, Pat Goddard (ph 846 0230) or the Music Director, Paul Harrop.