“Acclaimed British conductor Matthew Halls is excited to be returning to Adelaide for an Adelaide Symphony Orchestra concert he says promises a colorful—at times enigmatic—program showcasing some of his favorite composers,” states an unsigned article in Tuesday’s (8/1) InDaily.com (Australia). “Halls, who divides his time between homes in England and Canada, is artistic director of the Oregon Bach Festival and in the past year alone has conducted orchestras in Iceland, Austria, Germany, the US and Britain.” He leads the Adelaide Symphony next week in Brahms’ Haydn Variations, Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture, Elgar’s Enigma Variations, and a new flute concerto from Australian composer Ian Munro. “Question: Why is it important for orchestras to be playing new work within their repertoire? Halls: New music is, and always has been, the most exciting frontier in the music world. As satisfying as it might be to keep reviving the same historical works again and again, our curiosity should always get the better of us with regard to exploring the new and constantly evolving sound worlds of contemporary music. The future of the art form lies in the hands of the many supremely talented living composers and, as musicians, we should be seeking every opportunity imaginable to bring new works to life.”
Posted August 3, 2017
