Manawatu Youth Orchestra - October Concert

Sunday 12th October, 4pm

Gioachino Rossini – Overture to The Barber of Seville (1816)

Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville has become one of the most celebrated orchestral introductions in the operatic canon. Interestingly, the overture contains no themes from the opera itself, having been recycled from two of Rossini’s earlier stage works. Its slow, restrained opening—marked by hushed string tremolos—creates an atmosphere of suspense before the brilliant allegro unfolds, propelled by Rossini’s trademark “crescendo” technique that layers rhythmic vitality and dynamic intensity to exhilarating effect. Although the opera’s premiere in Rome was initially met with uproar and disruption, both the comedy and its overture soon gained widespread acclaim. Today, the overture enjoys a life far beyond the opera house, frequently performed as a concert piece and celebrated for its wit, rhythmic drive, and orchestral brilliance.

Carl Reinecke – Ballade for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 288 (1877)

Reinecke’s Ballade for Flute and Orchestra is among the most enduring works of the late Romantic flute repertoire. Written for the virtuoso Maximilian Schwedler, the piece exemplifies Reinecke’s lyrical style and his balance of Classical form with Romantic expressivity. Cast in a single, continuous movement, it unfolds in a quasi-narrative manner: an atmospheric, brooding introduction gives way to sweeping melodic lines and virtuosic passagework, demanding both technical brilliance and poetic depth from the soloist. Its seamless alternation between drama and lyricism reflects the Romantic fascination with musical storytelling. Though Reinecke’s reputation as a composer has diminished since his lifetime, the Ballade has retained a firm place in the flute’s core concert repertoire, admired for its idiomatic writing and expressive warmth.
This afternoon’s soloist is Drew Bishop (flute).

Camille Saint-Saëns – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 (1863)

Saint-Saëns composed his Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor for the celebrated Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate, then only eighteen years old. Originally conceived as part of a violin concerto, the work soon took on an independent life as a dazzling showpiece. The sombre, lyrical Introduction highlights Saint-Saëns’s gift for long melodic lines, while the Rondo Capriccioso brims with fiery virtuosity and rhythmic vitality. Drawing inspiration from Sarasate’s Spanish heritage, Saint-Saëns infuses the rondo with dance-like elegance and Iberian flair, combining French refinement with brilliant technical display. Its irresistible mixture of lyricism and sparkle quickly secured its place as a favourite in the Romantic violin repertoire.
This afternoon’s soloist is Haewon Kim (violin).

Haewon has been a member of the Manawatu Youth Orchestra since 2018 and has been the concertmaster since 2022. Her leadership extends to national levels as the concertmaster for the 2024 and 2025 New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO). From the age of seven, she has been pursuing her passion for music through exams, competitions, and performances under the tutelages of Marise Mcneill, Haihong Liu, and Elizabeth Patchett, with whom she attained her Licentiate certificate of Trinity College London at 16 years old. In addition to the MYO, Haewon has played with the National Youth Orchestra and the NZSSSO for four years. Haewon was also the violinist of Piano Trio Greek Yoghurt who advanced to the National Finals of the NZ Chamber Music Contest in 2023. Most notably, She performed at Carnegie Hall, New York City, in January this year after her chamber group’s success in the American Virtuoso International Music Competition. In her final year at Palmerston North Girls’ High, Haewon serves as the music prefect where she engages both the school and wider community with her music and leadership. 

Camille Saint-Saëns – The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (1886)

The Swan (Le Cygne), the thirteenth movement of Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals, is remarkable for its restraint and lyrical beauty in contrast to the humour of the surrounding movements. Originally written for solo cello and piano, it depicts the graceful glide of a swan across still waters, the arching solo line floating serenely above rippling accompaniment. In this performance, the double bass takes the role of the soloist, offering a darker, more resonant timbre while preserving the work’s characteristic dignity and calm. Although Saint-Saëns suppressed publication of the full suite during his lifetime, The Swan became its most famous excerpt, admired for its expressive simplicity and ability to showcase the lyrical voice of a string instrument.
This afternoon’s soloist is Harley Fong (double bass).

 Harley Fong began his musical journey at the age of seven, studying piano and cello through ABRSM and Trinity College examinations. At St Peter’s College, Auckland, under the direction of Antun Poljanich, he expanded into jazz bass and percussion. In 2022, Harley took up the jazz double bass, initially as a joke - quickly becoming one of the few dual jazz electric and double bassists in Auckland’s school music scene. He studied under Evgeny Lanchtchikova before being selected to continue with John Mietus of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, adopting the rare German bow grip in New Zealand. Harley served as section leader of cello and later double bass in the Combined St Peter’s and Baradene Symphony Orchestra, as well as rhythm leader in the jazz ensemble and percussion leader in the concert band. In his final year, he was appointed Prefect in Charge of Music. Beyond school, he freelanced across Auckland, performed in productions such as Grease and Titanic, played with the Auckland Youth Orchestra, local rock and jazz bands,  and taught jazz bass and percussion at St Peter’s. His career has spanned over a decade and included international performances in Taiwan, Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria. Past teachers include Antun Poljanich, James Yoo, Zyia-Li Teh, Tatiana and Evgeny Lanchtchikova, and Bernie Allen. In 2024, Harley moved to Palmerston North to study a Bachelor of Aviation at Massey University, training to become an Air Transport Pilot and has continued to practise and perform music on a variety on instruments.

Gabriel Fauré – Élégie in C minor, Op. 24 (1880)

Fauré’s Élégie began life as the projected slow movement of a cello sonata, but it soon found independent success after its premiere in 1883 and was later orchestrated by the composer in 1890. The work opens with a sombre, mournful theme that immediately demonstrates Fauré’s gift for lyrical expression and his ability to exploit the cello’s dark sonorities. A contrasting central section introduces heightened drama and passion before the return of the opening theme, now imbued with greater poignancy. Combining Romantic intensity with Fauré’s characteristic elegance and restraint, the Élégie has remained a cornerstone of the cello repertoire, admired for its emotional immediacy and structural clarity.
This afternoon’s soloist is Issy Li (cello).

Isabella Li is a Year 13 student at Palmerston North Girls’ High School. She began piano when she was 5 through Elizabeth Locke before learning from Guy Donaldson, attaining her NZMEB Diploma AMusNZ at 16. She began studying the cello as a secondary instrument at the age of 11, studying with Robert Dussler and later Annie Hunt. She currently studies with Robert Ibell and, at 16, earned her Associate Diploma from Trinity College London with High Distinction. A dedicated orchestral and chamber musician, Isabella has been the cello section leader of the Manawatu Youth Orchestra since she was 12, and has been a member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra cello section from 2023 to 2025. She is also a passionate chamber musician; her group ‘Greek Yoghurt’ was a national finalist in the 2023 NZCT Chamber Music Contest, and won a place in the 2024 American Virtuoso International Music Competition, earning an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall, New York. Isabella has also achieved notable success in solo competitions. She was awarded first place in both the 2023 MusicaViva Young Performers Scholarship and the 2025 Runnicles Senior Instrumental Competition. This year, she is a 2025 PACANZ nominee for Solo Instrumental. Outside of performances and competitions, she's volunteered at Saturday Music Palmerston North, and continues to work there as a cello and keyboard relief tutor for kids. Next year, she plans to study a Bachelor of Science at Auckland University, specialising in Biomedical Science.

Jean Sibelius – Finlandia, Op. 26 (1899–1900)

Sibelius composed Finlandia as part of the “Press Celebrations” of 1899, organised to protest Russian censorship in Finland. Conceived as a patriotic tone poem, the work quickly became a national emblem and one of Sibelius’s most enduring scores. Its opening brass chords, dark and declamatory, evoke oppression and struggle, giving way to music of defiance and collective strength. The most famous section, the noble Finlandia Hymn, presents a broad, hymn-like melody later adapted into national and liturgical settings. While firmly rooted in its political moment, Finlandia has transcended its origins to become a universal expression of resilience and identity, and a cornerstone of the orchestral repertoire of the early twentieth century.