Regional News wrote:
“Christian Tetzlaff tackled Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B Minor with absolute mastery. His rich, confident, emotional tone contrasted with technical excellence where the combination of speed, double stopping, and huge shifts with the bow didn’t faze him at all.”
“New’s sense of drama is well suited to bringing these astrological characters to life. The quality of the interpretation between conductor and orchestra was absolutely on point.”
“Musical excellence gave each of the planets their individual nature, the section principals were brilliant as usual, and the tone and volume of the Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir were flawless.”
New Zealand Arts Review wrote:
“Christian Tetzlaff gave an electrifying performance with his playing of Elgar’s Violin Concerto and he seemed to become one with the violin... Several times his feverish playing was matched by Gemma New’s demonstrative conducting where she conducted with her body and not just baton and hands. Then there were times when violinist and conductor appeared to be linked in a dance, their bodies swaying in harmony.”
“Under the brilliant direction of Gemma New the orchestra managed to give each of the sequences a thrilling interpretation, exploring their emotional and narrative themes.”
Five Lines wrote:
“Conductor Gemma New had what she calls an epiphany on the podium in the middle of a concert in May this year. She was with the San Francisco Symphony, playing Mendelssohn’s 3rd Symphony, the ‘Scottish’, a work she has conducted many times. ‘Suddenly’, she tells me, ‘it seemed I needed to relax, and the music did just ease and flow in a different way. Since then, I’ve been able to take a different approach. I do prepare very thoroughly, but maybe I don’t need to be so stressed about it, and that resonates with the orchestra. You need to find a sense of calm, and I’ve been more aware of that recently, which is nice — it makes things a bit more fun.’
Each time Gemma New strides to the podium to conduct the NZSO, she brings not only her dynamic approach and lauded high level of skill and attention to detail. There's also a deepening of experience as she develops her international career, and, with that, a greater depth of interpretation. She's also bringing the relationships with composers and soloists she’s constantly building.
We talked a week ago, while she was en route to New Zealand for NZSO concerts, which included Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B minor, Opus 61 with German soloist Christian Tetzlaff. She has worked with the super-star violinist before, the first time at short notice. In 2022, at the New World Symphony in Miami, she ‘jumped in’, she tells me, for an ailing Michael Tilson Thomas, and conducted Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto with Tetzlaff as soloist.
In March this year, she was on the podium of the Orchestre National de France with Tetzlaff again, in Shostakovich’s 2nd Violin Concerto. ‘His playing is transformative,’ she says. ‘Tetzlaff is one of the greatest musicians today; in Paris it was like hearing the violin’s soul from Russia, in the cold, 50 years ago. I’m really excited about bringing him to New Zealand.’”
The New Zealand Herald wrote:
“The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra signed off its current season with The Planets, holding nothing back in terms of the spectacular.”
“New’s flashing baton ignited a terrifying Mars.”
“Auckland has already experienced some superlative performances of Elgar’s Violin Concerto, remembering Nigel Kennedy, James Ehnes and Pinchas Zukerman. After Saturday night, Christian Tetzlaff must be added to this roll call of honour.”
