Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra 2014 Season

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra is Auckland’s leading performing arts organisation, and the city’s resident full-time professional symphony orchestra.

In more than 80 performances annually, the APO presents a full season of symphonic work showcasing many of the world’s finest classical musicians. In 2014 we are excited to welcome back percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, cellist Li-Wei Qin, violist Maxim Rysanov, soprano Christine Brewer and conductor John Nelson among several others, and we are delighted to welcome for the first time acclaimed artists including pianist Joanna MacGregor, violinist Chloë Hanslip and conductors Hans Graf and Paul McCreesh. The APO is also proud to support both the New Zealand Opera and the Royal New Zealand Ballet in their Auckland performances again this season

The APO promotes a vibrant arts culture by providing leadership and support across the arts sector. Through its numerous APO Connecting (education, outreach and community) initiatives the APO offers opportunities to more than 23,000 young people and adults nationwide to participate in music, ranging from hip hop and rock to contemporary and classical. In 2011 the orchestra launched Sistema Aotearoa in partnership with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. This is the first music education programme in New Zealand to be based on El Sistema, one of the world’s most successful music and social development projects, and it now teaches music to almost 300 children, with instruments and teaching provided free of charge.

More than 100,000 people hear the orchestra live each year, and many thousands more are reached through special events, other media and recordings on the APO Live and Naxos music labels.