Beethoven's 5th

The first four notes of Beethoven’s 5th are arguably the most recognisable of the entire classical repertoire – the “da da da dum” motif, that has been said to depict fate knocking at the door. Moving beyond the famous opening, the listener meets a composer whose rapidly deteriorating hearing has only further motivated him to deepen his compositional language.

Brahms wrote his Academic Festival Overture when he received an honorary doctorate in 1879. Using the largest orchestral forces of any of his works, he cheekily interspersed a number of student melodies into the work, including the ceremonial classic Gaudeamus igitur.

Auckland-based musical pairing of composer Leonie Holmes and pianist Stephen De Pledge premiere Holmes’ new Piano Concerto. De Pledge has been described as having a “laid-back, let-me-entertain-you manner” coupled with an innate ability to communicate with audiences through the keyboard.