This was one of my favourite concerts this year musically.  The Italian style music including Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville was very energetic.  As was the conductor Junichi Hirokami – the most expressive conductor I have seen and a contrast to Benjamin Northey who conducted In the Hall of the Mountain King last week in Wellington.  I normally shut my eyes to get the full effect of the music but this conductor is great to watch, adding to the expression of the music.

The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto which was performed by NZSO Concertmaster Vesa-Matti Leppanen, was exquisite, energetic and surprising in its various phrases.  The evening was enjoyable – brilliant music – worthy of the almost full house at Baycourt, Tauranga.