With its 50th celebrations over, the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra is starting afresh in new premises with a new season of events. Rebecca Fox finds out what it has planned for audiences this year.
''Tally Ho!'' only ''scratched the surface'' of the great Dunedin Sound songs so there is no shortage of material for part 2, Dr Graeme Downes says. ''This one will be even better.''
The mix of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and the ''pop'' songs of the Dunedin Sound proved to be a sell-out at the Dunedin Town Hall two years ago, so a second concert was always likely.
''I started immediately after the first one as it was such a success - mercifully, I had two years. I learnt an awful lot [from the first],'' Downes said.
The original concert has already been played on Radio New Zealand twice and interviews had appeared in United Kingdom newspaper The Guardian on the Dunedin Sound phenomenon a couple of times.
Downes, who orchestrates the music for the concerts, said there were some ''iconic'' songs they did not perform in the last concert.
''I'm confident we'll be sold out again.''
Putting together the November 4 concert had again reminded him just how amazing it was that a city of only 120,000 had produced so much quality material.
''It's unique.''
This year's concert will follow a similar format to the last, and as well as including some familiar faces - ''the old guard'' - it will also feature some young ''up and coming'' Dunedin songwriters.
Peter Adams will again conduct the concert.
Downes and Roy Colbert recently listened to all the tracks he had put together.
''Lordy, I think this will blow people away.''
The music will be with the orchestra members to learn by the middle of the year so they can start practising.
Orchestra general manager Philippa Harris said the musicians loved having variety in a programme.
Along with accompanying the Royal New Zealand Ballet and City Choir, ''Tally Ho! 2'' provided an extra challenge.
''It's all part of the bread and butter of an orchestra and part of the Dunedin connection.''
The orchestra loved playing the last ''Tally Ho!'' concert.
''It was a great experience for everyone.''
But before the orchestra gets to perform ''Tally Ho! 2'' it has a big line-up for 2017.
Harris says after celebrating its 50th anniversary with Dunedin musicians and those from its past, this year it is ''broadening'' its perspective, bringing in international artists and some different New Zealand artists.
Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts is coming from Europe, cellist Li-Wei Qin from China, conductors Daniel Kossov and Richard Davis from Australia and principal guest conductor Simon Over from the United Kingdom.
''They've worked with the top orchestras, conductors and in the top concert halls around the world, so it's a real treat.''
Gringolts is in New Zealand as one of the jury members for the Michael Hill Violin Competition and is also touring the country and Australia.
Leading New Zealand conductors, such as Orchestra Wellington and California Vallejo Symphony Orchestra's Marc Taddei, and soloists, such as New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's oboist Robert Orr and Dunedin Symphony Orchestra's principal flute Luca Manghi, will also perform.
The concert with City Choir Dunedin will also feature New Zealand singers soprano Rebecca Ryan and baritone Jarvis Dams.
The mix of music will cover the traditional symphony treats of Brahms, Sibelius, Mozart and Mendelssohn along with early music from the Baroque period and the contemporary with a work from New Zealand composer John Psathas Luminous and, of course, ''Tally Ho! 2''.
Rehearsals for all these concerts will take place in the newly-renovated Hanover Hall - the former Monkey Bar in central Dunedin.
While a few finishing touches were still needed, a few members from the orchestra had already had a ''sneak'' rehearsal in the new space.
''The players were delighted at the acoustics. It's working perfectly.''
The former church has had its interior extensively renovated with the plasterwork renewed, stained-glass windows restored, and acoustic panels and carpet have been installed.
Rehearsals for the 2017 season will soon start in the new space, which is also already in demand for smaller concerts.
''We have much more visibility here and are much more a part of the community here.''
The series concerts will follow the well-established pattern of three International Series concerts on Saturday evenings in the Dunedin Town Hall, and two Matinee Series concerts in King's and Queen's Performing Arts Centre.
