Simon Brew conducts the Wellington Chamber Orchestra in their first 2012 performance in a programme consisting of:
Dorothy Buchanan - 'Three Sketches for Wind Octet'

Ludwig August Lebrun -  'Oboe Concerto No.1' with soloist: Peter Dykes
Bizet - 'Symphony in C'

Dorothy Buchanan is one of our most experienced composers writing across many genres and styles from Educational material for junior players to symphonic and operatic works. Her wind octet (2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 Horns and 2 bassoons) is in three movements and was dedicated to Ross McKeich and the Ilam Wind Ensemble.

Like his friend, Wolfgang Mozart, Ludwig August Lebrun (1752–1790) was a prodigy. He also toured and concertized extensively, composed music for his own use, married an opera singer, and died before he reached the age of 40. He is credited with expanding the capabilities of the oboe and extending its upper range. He created works that were far more consequential than mere show pieces and his 6 oboe concertos reveal a rewarding musical sophistication and a lyrical sensitivity. Soloist in this concert will be NZSO principal oboist Peter van Dyke.

The Symphony in C is an early work by the French composer Georges Bizet. According to Grove's Dictionary, the symphony "reveals an extraordinarily accomplished talent for an 17-year-old student, in melodic invention, thematic handling and orchestration." The symphony was hailed as a youthful masterpiece on a par with Felix Mendelssohn's overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, written at about the same age, and quickly became part of the standard Romantic repertoire. Although a student assignment, many musicologists find the symphony shows a precocious grasp of harmonic language and design, a sophistication which has invited comparisons with Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Rossini, and Beethoven.

Simon Brew gained a BMus (1st class Honours) in Classical Saxophone Performance from Massey University (now New Zealand School of Music) studying with Debbie Rawson. He played with Saxcess, New Zealand's premiere saxophone quartet. Overseas study led to him graduating in 2010 from the Artez Conservatorium, the Netherlands, with a Masters degree in classical saxophone under Johan van der Linden. In recent years he has been extending his musicianship and performance experience though conducting. Simon has performed with WCO as a soloist (April 2007, Michael Vinten's Alto Saxophone Concerto) and we are now delighted to have his services as conductor for the first time.

Online tickets: Adults $15; School students or younger are free.

Door sales: Adults $20; Concessions $15 (Tertiary students, Seniors, unwaged); School students or younger: free.