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Welcome to Planet MusicTony Ryan is a conductor, composer, educator and reviewer
based in Christchurch, New Zealand |
Interview recorded on 30 December 2022
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Tony's Latest News
Look out for Resonance Ensemble's next concert on 15 June. BOOK NOW. This programme will feature New Zealand composers, including Tony's own Saxophone Concerto with soprano saxophone soloist Mark Hobson, along with music by John Ritchie, Anthony Ritchie, Claire Cowan and Pieta Hextall. (More information below and at the Resonance Ensemble website)
Resonance Ensemble's concert on 6 April - Waifs & Strays with music by Rossini, Punto, Bissill and Prokofiev was a notable success with French Horn soloist Alex Morton playinga brilliantly flamboyant performance of Giovanni Punto's Horn Concerto No. 5 and Richard Billiss's Fat Belly Blues. Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7 was a real find and the orchestra rose magnificently to its many challenges. Last November, Resonance Ensemble's Rebellious Russians concert - Music by Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Borodin was another innovative programme with pianist Gabriel Baird joining the orchestra for a stunning performance of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2. Tony’s latest Troubleshooter continies his promotion of increased support for music education. |
Resonance Ensemble
Music for Matariki
A programme of brilliant and varied works by New Zealand composers
In 2024 Resonance Ensemble celebrated the Māori New Year with a concert of music by New Zealand composers. It was a very successful venture for both audience and players, so the orchestra and its conductor Tony Ryan will present another programme of New Zealand music at The Piano, 3pm, 15 June, the Sunday before this year’s Matariki holiday.
The first part of this concert will feature John Ritchie’s colourful and descriptive Papanui Road Overture, written in 1987 a few years after the composer had moved to live near this busy Christchurch street.
Besides being one of Christchurch’s most well-known composers, John Ritchie founded a string orchestra which eventually became what is now the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. On his ninetieth birthday in 2011, the CSO marked the occasion with a special concert which included some of Ritchie’s own music as well as a work specially written for the occasion by his son Anthony. Resonance Ensemble’s 2025 programme includes Anthony Ritchie’s evocative 1996 composition Albatross in Flight.
John Ritchie’s 90th birthday concert fourteen years ago, opened with another specially commissioned piece by another former student of John Ritchie, our conductor, Tony Ryan, whose Fanfare for John opens this year’s Matariki programme.
The main work in this year’s concert is also by Tony Ryan. His Saxophone Concerto will be played by Sydney-based saxophonist Alice Morgan. The solo part is for soprano saxophone rather than the more familiar alto or tenor, and the concerto is as much a spectacular orchestral showpiece as an opportunity for the soloist to demonstrate her virtuosity. Originally from Christchurch, Alice has a thriving career in Sydney and will perform as Guest Principal Saxophone with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in their 2025 season, including as orchestral soloist for Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. See more here: https://www.alicemorgan.com.au/ . Resonance is looking forward to working with this outstanding soloist.
Music by Claire Cowan and Pieta Hextall completes this year’s line-up of New Zealand composers. Claire Cowan’s The Stolen Stars of Matariki was originally written for the NZSO to accompany a story by Miriama Kamo. Resonance Ensemble has invited Leah Williams-Partington of Loopy Tunes fame, to narrate the story, making this concert highly suitable for young people as well as our regular audience.
Pieta Hextall’s quirky and mischievous take on music for a wedding makes her Wedding Mixtape a fun and a light-hearted contribution to this unique and celebratory concert.
Resonance Ensemble's Music for Matariki concert is on Sunday 15 June at The Piano in Christchurch
BOOK NOW
Music for Matariki
A programme of brilliant and varied works by New Zealand composers
In 2024 Resonance Ensemble celebrated the Māori New Year with a concert of music by New Zealand composers. It was a very successful venture for both audience and players, so the orchestra and its conductor Tony Ryan will present another programme of New Zealand music at The Piano, 3pm, 15 June, the Sunday before this year’s Matariki holiday.
The first part of this concert will feature John Ritchie’s colourful and descriptive Papanui Road Overture, written in 1987 a few years after the composer had moved to live near this busy Christchurch street.
Besides being one of Christchurch’s most well-known composers, John Ritchie founded a string orchestra which eventually became what is now the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. On his ninetieth birthday in 2011, the CSO marked the occasion with a special concert which included some of Ritchie’s own music as well as a work specially written for the occasion by his son Anthony. Resonance Ensemble’s 2025 programme includes Anthony Ritchie’s evocative 1996 composition Albatross in Flight.
John Ritchie’s 90th birthday concert fourteen years ago, opened with another specially commissioned piece by another former student of John Ritchie, our conductor, Tony Ryan, whose Fanfare for John opens this year’s Matariki programme.
The main work in this year’s concert is also by Tony Ryan. His Saxophone Concerto will be played by Sydney-based saxophonist Alice Morgan. The solo part is for soprano saxophone rather than the more familiar alto or tenor, and the concerto is as much a spectacular orchestral showpiece as an opportunity for the soloist to demonstrate her virtuosity. Originally from Christchurch, Alice has a thriving career in Sydney and will perform as Guest Principal Saxophone with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in their 2025 season, including as orchestral soloist for Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. See more here: https://www.alicemorgan.com.au/ . Resonance is looking forward to working with this outstanding soloist.
Music by Claire Cowan and Pieta Hextall completes this year’s line-up of New Zealand composers. Claire Cowan’s The Stolen Stars of Matariki was originally written for the NZSO to accompany a story by Miriama Kamo. Resonance Ensemble has invited Leah Williams-Partington of Loopy Tunes fame, to narrate the story, making this concert highly suitable for young people as well as our regular audience.
Pieta Hextall’s quirky and mischievous take on music for a wedding makes her Wedding Mixtape a fun and a light-hearted contribution to this unique and celebratory concert.
Resonance Ensemble's Music for Matariki concert is on Sunday 15 June at The Piano in Christchurch
BOOK NOW
Recent Concerts and Events
- 3 May 2025: CSM Sinfonia performed a programme of music by Bizet, Mussorgsky and Satie
- 6 April 2025: Resonance Ensemble presented Waifs & Strays. Music by Rossini, Punto, Bissill and Prokofiev.
- 21 November 2024: Resonance Ensemble presented Rebellious Russians. Music by Shostakovich, Stravinsky and Borodin.
- 22 September 2024: Resonance Ensemble presented Bohemian Rhapsody. Music by Dvořák, Suk and Dohnányi.
- 17 August 2024: The CSM Sinfonia orchestra performed music by Ryan, Stravinsky and Rossini.
- 30 June 2024: Resonance Ensemble presented Celebrating Matariki. Music by a cluster of New Zealand composers.
- 16 March 2024: The CSM Sinfonia orchestra performed music by Bernstein and Dvořāk.
- 24 March 2024: Resonance Ensemble presented Spirit of the Land. Music by Sibelius, Smetana and Weber.
- 26 March 2024: Illustrated talk at the Christchurch Art Gallery Auditorium entitled Planet Opera - A Parallel Universe
- Tony's latest reviews can be found on Theatreview, The Press (Stuff) and on the Christopher's Classics website
Below: Sinfonia presents a programme of music by Bizet, Mussorgsky and Satie on 3 May 2025
Resonance Ensemble prepares for Waifs & Strays 6 April at The Piano
Below: 2024 Festival Symphony Orchestra in the Christchurch Town Hall
Below: Resonance Ensemble rehearses their Matariki concert of New Zealand Composers
Watch this concert on YouTube
Watch this concert on YouTube
Below: Resonance Ensemble's Spirit of the Land Dress Rehearsal
Below: Resonance Ensemble's Shall We Dance? Concert and Dress Rehearsal
Below - Conducting CSM Sinfonia's Flashmob at Northlands Shopping Centre on 4 November 2023
Below: Sinfonia warms up before their concert at The Charles Luney Auditiorium on 19 August
Below: Resonance Ensemble warms up before their Danzón concert at The Piano on 25 June to a full house!
Below: Resonance Ensemble rehearses with saxophone soloist Mark Walton for their Danzón concert at The Piano
Below: Resonance Ensemble presented A Tuba Comes to Town on 4 December at The Piano in Christchurch.
The highlight of this programme was the premiere of Tony's Tuba Concerto
with soloist Thomas Allely, Principal Tuba of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
The highlight of this programme was the premiere of Tony's Tuba Concerto
with soloist Thomas Allely, Principal Tuba of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Below: A few pictures from CSM’s final event for 2022
Tony conducts the CSM Intermediate Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia in music from the fifteenth century to the twenty first
Tony conducts the CSM Intermediate Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia in music from the fifteenth century to the twenty first
Below: Tony conducts the Christchurch Schools' Music Festival Symphony Orchestra
for its hugely successful performances at the Christchurch Town Hall on 1-4 November 2022
for its hugely successful performances at the Christchurch Town Hall on 1-4 November 2022
Below: Tony's CSM Sinfonia presented a Flashmob at two Christchurch Shopping Centres (Merivale and Northlands) on 3 September 2022
