As a young man, he conducted the work for Orff himself.
More than 200 performers including the sinfonia players, the City of Dunedin Choir, a more than 30-member children's choir and three soloists are drawing on that experience during final rehearsals for the concert.
Despite its many songs about women and drinking, Carmina Burana has a place for the child singers - mainly as urchins making teasing commentary on the adults' obsession with love.
Tenor soloist John Murray studied voice at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and has performed many operatic roles.
Soprano soloist Barbara Graham is the present PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist. Baritone soloist Jared Holt was a runner-up in a recent Mobil Song Quest.
- Saturday's concert will begin at 8pm with Pirogov/Cauldron Lighting, by Shostakovich arranged by Psathas, and Rachmaninov's Cinq Etudes-Tableaux. Carmina Burana will form the second half of the concert.
