James Judd - Principal Guest Conductor

What does it mean to you to bring Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Gillian Whitehead’s première to Dunedin in a single concert?

Well, it will be a world first! Personally, I find it invigorating to juxtapose something brand-new with a much-loved classic. It will also mean a concert featuring great soloists, both the amazing voices for Gillian’s new composition
and of course pianist Jian Liu for the monumental, symphonic Brahms Concerto.

What excites you most about Dame Gillian Whitehead’s “The Journey of Mataatua Whare?”

I am especially impressed that this work grew from Tessa Petersen’s reaction to this profoundly important history, and then Gillian’s inspired reaction to bring it to life through music. From my perspective, it is a work of deep meaning that I feel extremely privileged to be a part of.