Upbeat for Friday 24 June 2016

1pm A man full of grace

Neil Ieremia ONZM, reflects on 21 years of maintaining his company Black Grace. There were many sceptics when as a 24 year old Ieremia began a male only dance company to reflect his own culture on stage, but as Neil puts it  "If people tell me I can't do something, it just encourages me more!" 

1.30 Winter warmers

CSO Chief Conductor Benjamin Northey looks ahead to his mid winter musical feast and talks about how experiencing live performance stimulates the senses and unites people. Ben brings his Melbourne Youth Orchestra to Christchurch next month to perform Mahler’s The Titan with the CSO.

 

1.50 Fourteen year old violinist a sign of things to come

Fourteen year old violin prodigy Benedict Lim and Pettman Academy director Edith Salzman talk about Ben's next concert in a year where 35 gigs is par for the course. The Academy has now been going for ten years and  Edith says students as good as Benedict are just the tip of the iceberg.