Amalia Hall plays Piazzolla

What draws you personally to Piazzolla’s 'Four Seasons of Buenos Aires'?

Piazzolla’s musical language is very distinctive, as he fuses recognisable passages from the well-known Four Seasons by Vivaldi with his own style of Argentinian tango. I’m actually performing the Mendelssohn Concerto in Buenos Aires later this year, so I’m looking forward to experiencing one of the city’s four seasons in person!

How would you describe the energy and style of this work to someone hearing it for the first time?

Incredibly rhythmic, blood-stirring, emotive. I’m especially excited by the fact that the wonderful conductor Brent Stewart is a percussionist, so we will really be able to embrace the rhythmic side of the work.

What are the biggest challenges and joys in performing this tango-infused piece?

It is quite a virtuosic work, which includes some mini cadenzas with arpeggios that traverse right to the very top of the violin’s fingerboard!
One of the biggest joys about this piece is the fact that the solo violin part also gets to play “tutti” with the orchestra for large sections of the work, then to emerge as a solo voice in response to the ensemble - in this case, the fantastic DSO!

How do you approach bringing out the character and colour in Piazzolla’s music during a live performance?

There is always a palpable difference in performance versus rehearsal, and I’m so delighted that there will be two performances with the DSO in August. A great performance always depends on the energy in the room when the audience is there, so no doubt each performance will bring new musical characters to light.

It’s always such a delight to visit Dunedin and to work with the wonderful musicians of DSO!