Training the next musical generation

The Central Otago Regional Training Orchestra in top form during a performance last week, under...
The Central Otago Regional Training Orchestra in top form during a performance last week, under the baton of conductor Christine Foote.
The Central Otago Regional Orchestra is cultivating its own musicians, with a 31-strong training orchestra, which will perform alongside the ‘‘parent'' orchestra this weekend in Cromwell and Alexandra.

Central Otago Regional Training Orchestra (Corto) conductor Christine Foote said this was the second year of involvement for most of the junior group.

About a third of the group doubled as members of the main orchestra.

‘‘The training orchestra has been around a while but was revived again last year,'' Ms Foote said.

‘‘The aim is have young musicians to feed into the adult orchestra and, of course, to give them a chance at a young age to be part of the junior orchestra.''

The training group practises every week at Alexandra and Cromwell and its members, who are aged from eight to 18, are from those two towns, as well as from Wanaka and Roxburgh.

‘‘Considering they haven't been together very long, they do a great job,'' Ms Foote said.

Two concerts titled ‘‘Just Us'' will be staged by the regional orchestra and Corto this weekend.

The concerts feature classic works from Vivaldi, Haydn and Strauss, along with more contemporary music from George Gershwin and Billy Joel.

- The two orchestras will perform at Cromwell College auditorium on Saturday at 7pm, and at the Dunstan High School hall on Sunday at 3pm.

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