The NZSO will be extending into new musical territories this month when they include a turntable, key instrument in the DJ and HipHop scene, as a symphonic component alongside more classical instruments for a three-part symphony by young Hamilton composer Jeremy Mayall.

Image: Chris Watson, onbe of the five composers whose works are to be 'read' by the NZSO next week.

The NZSO will be extending into new musical territories this month when they include a turntable, key instrument in the DJ and HipHop scene, as a symphonic component alongside more classical instruments for a three-part symphony by young Hamilton composer Jeremy Mayall.

Image: Chris Watson, onbe of the five composers whose works are to be 'read' by the NZSO next week.

"I had always wanted to write a symphony," Jeremy tells us. The idea behind this piece came to me about three years ago. I thought it would be interesting to combine turntables with an orchestra, as I have a real fascination with Hip Hop. It would be easy to write a piece then put a turntable solo on top, but to make the two sounds weave in aand around each other was something else. I wanted to make the two different musical genres work together cohesively."

Jeremy's work is one of five being 'read' and 'played through' by the NZSO as part of the latest round of NZSO-SOUNZ Readings on the 15th and 16th of February at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington. The orchestra will be conducted by leading contemporary specialist, NZSO Associate Conductor, Hamish McKeich.

The works were chosen from a total of 15 submitted last year to SOUNZ, the Centre for New Zealand Music.

Well established composers Dorothy Buchanan and David Farquhar will be joined by relative newcomers Chris Watson and Jeremy in this eighth collaboration between the NZSO and SOUNZ on a Readings project.

This year for the first time, the Readings will also include a guest Australian composer, Jane Stanley with her work Drifting Tracer. Jane is here through a trans-Tasman composing exchange organised by the Australian Composers Orchestral Forum in collaboration with the Australian Council and Creative New Zealand.

The other works being read are Dorothy Buchanan's Confluence, Chris Watson's Pivotal Orbits and David Farquhar's Unfinished.

"The orchestra has always been very impressed by the diversity of the works that NZ composers present for these sessions," says Hamish McKeich, NZSO Associate Conductor. "It's fantastic that we are able to showcase the best of NZ composition which continues to evolve and challenge the way we, as musicians, perform. It is always a rewarding and enriching occasion "

"It really is a very exciting event," says Stephen Gibbs, marketing and development coordinator for SOUNZ. "Composition can be quite a solitary art, and often a composer hears the sounds they are organising only with their inner ear. Many now use computer software to print their works out for players, and while these programmes can activate sequencers or synthesizers to produce a facsimile of their work it doesn't even come close to hearing the true sound of a full-sized symphony orchestra playing it."

"The NZSO- SOUNZ Readings are a unique opportunity for these composers to actually hear the realisation of their creative ideas, and then take part in a discussion session with the players, conductor and other composers afterwards."

Some 43 compositions have been workshopped this way in the previous seven NZSO-SOUNZ Readings. Several of the pieces have also found their way into the standard repertoire of the NZSO and other orchestras both here and overseas. For example, Ross Harris' Music for Jonny, which has been included on the highly successful Beauty Spot II CD and is part of NZSO's Mainland Tour this year, was workshopped at a NZSO-SOUNZ Reading in 2001.

Sessions are open to interested members of the public, with rehearsal/recording in the mornings and a play through of that day's works from 2:45pm.