BOP Symphonia presents Strings Attached

Thaw the icy chill of winter with the warm glow of Bay of Plenty Symphonia’s strings in “Strings Attached”, a selection of glorious string orchestra music led by conductor and violin soloist Martin Riseley, playing in Tauranga and Rotorua.

Edvard Grieg wrote the Holberg Suite to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Ludvig Holberg, the “Norwegian Shakespeare”. This “Suite in olden style” takes Baroque dance forms and imbues them with Romantic sensibilities and Norwegian national pride.

Internationally-renowned violinist Martin Riseley is head of strings at the New Zealand School of Music, and former concertmaster of Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. His passionate and virtuosic playing, which was last on display in his performance of the Sibelius violin concerto with the orchestra in 2021, will return to the Bay of Plenty for the solo in the iconic concerto Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which describes trembling in icy snow and harsh winter winds, contrasted with fireside comfort while the rain pours outside.

Another masterpiece follows, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. The Russian master melodist shows what his music is all about: passion, drama, nobility, glowing textures and of course the very best tunes in classical music.