SOLOIST DEIDRE IRONS + CONDUCTOR MICHAEL JOEL – Ludwig & Deidre
Sunday 18 May 2.30PM
St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra presents to you one of New Zealand’s most distinguished performing musicians. Born in Winnipeg Canada Deidre Irons -pictured below - made her debut with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at the age of 12, playing the Schumann Piano Concerto. She graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was subsequently invited by her teacher, Rudolf Serkin, to join the faculty of that prestigious Conservatory where she taught for the next 7 years. During those years she toured Canada and the USA as a soloist and as a chamber music player.
Since moving to New Zealand in 1977 Irons has performed regularly with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia and the Christchurch Symphony, toured many times under the auspices of Chamber Music New Zealand and recorded extensively for radio New Zealand. With the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and conductor Mark Tadei, she has recorded the complete Beethoven piano concerti on the trust label.
Irons has travelled internationally, presented concerts in 25 countries. She was awarded both an MBE in and an ONZM, and received the degree Doctor of Music from Brandon University and Manitoba Canada.
Having taught at the University of Canterbury, then as the Head of Classical Performance at the New Zealand School of Music, in 2011 left, to focus fully on her own career as a concert pianist.
Michael Joel is the Music Director and Conductor of St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra. NZ born, he studied at Otago University and also with conductors Heinz Walburg, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and Jac van Steen at the Darlington International Summer School. At home with orchestral, operatic and choral repertoire he has conducted many orchestras and companies in NZ and in the UK, has worked on the music staff of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra is an accomplished orchestra performing a wide repertoire of music specifically providing performance opportunities for New Zealand musicians, composers and conductors.
TICKETS Eventfinda or Door sales. EFTPOS or Cash
Adults $35 Concessions $30 children under 12 free. Student Rush on the day $15.
ST MATTHEW-IN-THE-CITY corner Wellesley & Hobson streets.
