William Dart reviewed the Auckland concert. Here is what he said about my composition, Twitter, in the NZ Herald on August 10th. “Robin Toan’s Twitter took to the great outdoors. Who might have thought walking the dog in a bird-filled park would occasion such invention?” To read the rest of the review follow this link.
With Daniela Wahler
With Elizabeth Farrell
With Dieter Mack
The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra on May 2nd in the Christchurch Town Hall.
They performed the Schumann Piano Concerto Op. 54 in a minor with French pianist Emmanuel Despax, Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus and Beethoven’s Symphony No 6 The Pastoral and Island of Wine by Robin Toan. They were conducted by Tom Wood.
This is an article I wrote for KBB’s Random Notes, a free quarterly newsletter for school music teachers around New Zealand.
Diary from the Todd/NZSO Young Composer Awards
The Todd/NZSO Young Composer Awards should be on the calendar for any composer under 25 years old. It’s a fantastic opportunity to have an orchestral composition recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It’s also a chance to receive guidance from a high profile New Zealand composer, attend workshops by NZSO players, meet important people in the music industry and come together with other young composers from all over New Zealand.
In May a completed application form and full score with a maximum duration of 5 minutes were due. Finalists were selected and then asked to send parts by July 1st. The 2008 Awards were recorded on the 8 & 9 September in the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington. Hamish McKeich conducted the NZSO and the composer mentor was Ross Harris.
Sunday 7th September
I flew from Auckland to Wellington, dropped my bags off at the Bay Plaza Hotel (where all out of town composers stayed) and braved the cold to attend a welcome dinner at Nicolini’s Bistro on Courtney Place. The dinner was a friendly and informal way to meet the other finalists, Ross Harris, Hamish McKeich and various representatives from the NZSO, Radio New Zealand, SOUNZ and the Todd Corporation.
Monday 8th September
This year there were 11 finalists with ages ranging from 15 to 25 years from Auckland, Hamiltion, Wellington and Christchurch. Each composition was allotted 45 minutes to rehearse and record. We sat with Ross Harris on the stage and he helped us to communicate with the conductor and gave us valuable feedback. It was wonderful to hear the NZSO perform our compositions live as any issues with orchestration, performability and structure were suddenly so obvious! After each of our works were recorded we were whisked away to record an interview with Rebecca Blundell from Radio New Zealand Concert. She was making a radio programme about the NZSO/Todd Awards that will be aired at a later date. We had a workshop with NZSO percussionists Laurence Reese and Leonard Sakofsky and were able to ask them specific questions and talk about a fundamental topic for aspiring composers – what is and isn’t possible. To finish the day Tabea Squire gave a presentation about her experience as the 2008 NZSO/NYO Composer-in-Residence.
Tuesday 9th September
The recordings continued and we heard the remaining five compositions and like yesterday we studied the scores while we listened. We were also treated to a bassoon workshop by NZSO bassoonist Robert Weeks who gave us insider’s knowledge on bassoon orchestration. The Awards were concluded with a presentation of the 2008 ‘Todd Award for Composition’ which went to Wellington based composer Alexandra Hay. I flew back to Auckland later that evening with a head brimming full of new ideas. I can’t wait to receive the CD!
On the 5th and 6th of May I spent two great days in Wellington at the NZSO-SOUNZ Readings. They were held in the Wellington Town Hall and conducted by composer and conductor, Kenneth Young. Over the two days the NZSO rehearsed and recorded music from six composers and each of their works were inspiring and different. I particularly enjoyed listening to the pieces and meeting with other composers and observers from all over New Zealand.
Works performed:
Rakaia – Ryan Youens
Aurum – Simon Eastwood
Parallax – Hermione Johnson
Witch Scarers – Robin Toan
Sketches – Mike Nock
In Saecula Saeculorum – Michael Williams
I had a great time to discussing music and finding out about the projects other composers were working on. The event concluded with a Open Forum which focused on some of the issues surrounding the programming of New Zealand works in Festivals. I was sad to be on the plane back to Auckland but looking forward to using my newly gained knowledge in future compositions.
Thank you to the NZSO, SOUNZ and Radio New Zealand Concert for supporting this project!
{{post id=”photogallery” text=”View more pictures from the NZSO/SOUNZ Readings.”}} Photos by Stephen Gibbs.
On 7th May I spoke on Radio New Zealand Concert’s Upbeat! about the 14th NZSO/SOUNZ Readings. You can listen via Podcast for up to seven days after broadcast. Click to listen.
On April 20th Barcelona Postcards was premiered in São Paulo, Brazil by the Sphaera Ensemble. Alexey Kurkdjian Ogalla is the musical director. They performed works by Jorge Antunes, Sergio Chnee, Gilberto Mendes, David Balasanyan, Robin Toan and Alexandros Pappas. I will post again with pictures soon! Click on the image to view the concert poster.
My latest composition written in at the end of 2007, Witch Scarers, has been selected for the May session of the 2008 NZSO/SOUNZ readings. Witch Scarers is about Antonio Gaudi’s chimneys on Casa Mila (La Pedrera), in Barcelona. The apartment building was built between 1906 and 1910 and the roof contained chimneys and air ducts that were so eerie that they were nicknamed espantabruxes (witch-scarers).
I’m really looking forward to spending a couple of days in Wellington listening to new works and meeting with lots of musical people!
“The Manukau City Symphony Orchestra is in celebration mode for its Festive Finale concert this Saturday. Michael Houstoun has star billing, taking us to the Land of the Pyramids in Saint-Saens’ Egyptian Piano Concerto while Sibelius’ Finlandia features the young singers of Valley Voices with the orchestra. Also showcased is the talented young composer Robin Toan whose Fanfare for Manukau promises thrills aplenty as Toan, in her own words, “pushes it out”, having players shout, clap and stomp to catch the vibrancy that is South Auckland. Manukau City Symphony Orchestra: Genesis Energy Theatre (TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre), Saturday 7.30pm.”
The Manukau City Symphony Orchestra’s Festive Finale concert was a great way to close out the year. The orchestra, conducted by Uwe Grodd played with energy and enthusiasm to a packed audience on Saturday night. The concert opened with Fanfare for Manukau and I was lucky enough to have hear it plaued not just once but twice! I particularly enjoyed the evening as the atmosphere was really relaxed. We all joined in with the music making at the end when we sung Christmas carols.
I have more pictures from the concert in my photogallery.
“SOUNZ is a music information centre which provides, fosters and promotes music by New Zealand composers through services and projects which encourage its creation, performance, publication, recording and broadcast.”
Yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of the new SOUNZ website held at the APRA offices in Mt Eden, Auckland. It was a really happy event to celebreate some 20 months work by the people at SOUNZ. The new website makes it really easy to search for and buy music by new zealanders. We were treated to a 1 minute piece by James Gardner performed by Andrew Uren and Katherine Hebley -just to prove that you could search for a 1 minute piece for cello and bass clarinet and find something. There was a video about the new features of the website and some speaches by the Minister for Arts, Judith Tizard, the president of CANZ, Glenda Keam and Silla Askew from SOUNZ.
When you have time, take a look at the wonderful website for contemporary new zealand music SOUNZ.
Tune in to Concert Radio (92.6FM) this thursday 29th november at 1.15pm to hear me being interviewed about Fanfare for Manukau which will be premiered this saturday, 1st december by the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Uwe Grodd.
If you miss the interview you can listen online at the concert fm website.
Welcome to the ‘new look’ www.robintoan.com!
The new face of robintoan.com is officially online today! This website was professionally made for me by Websites made2order they are a new web design and development company based in Auckland, New Zealand. I can’t recommend them enough as they had super creative skills (I just love the look of my website and what it does..), speedy service (I got my new website within a week of ordering) and value for money.
Please contact me to let me know what you think of it. I would really love to know!
The new features of my website site are endless…well! almost 
Along with my ‘new look’ website I’m also launching Services today!
I am offering the following professional services.
I take pride in providing high quality, fast and friendly service. Take a look at the new Services section of my website to read more today!
Almost a month ago I went to see Julia and John play in Te Awamutu. Their programme was fantastic. I think my favourite must have been Julia playing the Ysaÿe Solo Violin Sonata No 3, her fingers and bow moved like lightening! Yesterday, I heard them play again, this time in Warkworth and the concert was even better. Over the past month they’ve really jelled together and it sounds just awesome. There were a lot of people up from Auckland to support them and it was great catching up with everyone. Chamber Music New Zealand have posted some reviews on their website here.
In other news, I’ve put the finishing touches on my Fanfare for Manukau for the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra and sent it off earlier this week.
1) University of York
I had an affinity with the University of York, particularly with the composer and lecturer Nicola LeFanu. It is now my goal to return to York to study a PHD!!!
2) Berlin Philharmonic
I’m not sure I need to say anything except they were aaaamazing…
3) Prague Spring Festival
The concert halls and variety of concerts were just amazing and the number of the people who go to hear classical music was overwhelming.
4) Culture in London
I still can’t get over the amount of stuff going on in London. Everyday there are literally hundreds of concerts, plays and musicals. As much as I loved the concerts, I think the highlight was getting Billie Piper’s autograph after seeing her play Treats by Christopher Hampton!!
5) Musikhochschule, Lübeck
Location, location, location…..The Musikhochschule is hidden in a pretty street that slopes down to the river in the heart of the old city….ahhh….how ideal. It’s also just a couple of minutes walk from Niederegger – only the most delicious marzipan ever made.
I’m back in Auckland now enjoying the start of springtime. I don’t have time to talk about the wonders of my time in Europe at the moment – but I promise that I will dedicate enough time to spell out the delightful journey I went on over the past months!
Tonight, I’m zooming down to Te Awamutu to hear the 3rd of 16 Chamber Music New Zealand concerts by John Chen and Julia McCarthy. They premiered my commission, Tutukaka, on Wednesday night in Gore.
The work was inspired by childhood memories of summer holidays spent in Northland, New Zealand.
This is the main composition that I worked on with my tutors in Europe and I think I learnt a lot from them. It will be very interesting to listen to as you will (hopefully!) be able to hear the influences of my overseas training.
