The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra was established in the early 1980s and has become one of New Zealand's major performing organisations. The instigation of its Composer-in-Residence programme in 1990 has made the orchestra an important force in the promotion of New Zealand composed music.
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In 1980, 19 musicians of the collapsed Symphonia of Auckland founded a new cooperatively run orchestra that has now achieved regional icon status as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Resident in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, the orchestra performs more than 145 concerts a year, accompanies the national opera and ballet and international touring companies. The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra has performed with several leading artists including Placido Domingo, José Carreras and opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, Moura Lympany, Julian Lloyd Webber, Nigel Kennedy, Diana Krall, The Manhattan Transfer, Meat Loaf, Serj Tankian and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, the orchestra’s Patron.
The orchestra has a strong commitment to New Zealand music and is dedicated to contribute to the development of music education. With school concerts aligned with the curriculum and designed for all age brackets, specialised mentoring programmes, composer, conductor and young musician workshops and summer schools, a comprehensive programme works at all educational levels.
The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra is supported by The Auckland Philharmonia Friends, Guild, and Foundation, a Board of Trustees, Donors and more than 200 sponsors. Business icon Rosanne Meo has been Chairperson of the Orchestra since 2004.
The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra hosts the biennial Michael Hill International Violin Competition, rapidly becoming one of the most prestigious music competitions in Australasia.
During his stay in Auckland and performance with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Burt Bacharach, award winning pianist and composer, praised the quality of the orchestra.[1]
On March 16, 2009, the orchestra recorded with Armenian-American rock singer Serj Tankian the CD Elect the Dead Symphony.
Appointed in September 2008,[2] the orchestra's current Music Director is the German conductor, Eckehard Stier. In the past, Artistic Advisors have included such conductors as Edvard Tchivzhel and Enrique Diemecke. Miguel Harth-Bedoya was appointed Music Director in 1998 and held the position for six years. Roy Goodman began as Principal Guest Conductor in 2009.
Appointed in November 2005,[3] Dimitri Atanassov is the orchestra's concertmaster. Previously, Brecon Carter, Marcelle Marlette, and Justine Cormack have held the position.
The orchestra is resident in the Auckland Town Hall, considered to have some of the finest acoustics worldwide.[4] The orchestra performs all of its main series concerts in the Great Hall and hosts chamber music concerts in the adjoined Concert Chamber.