Gary Daverne, NCO preparing classical night of Dvorak

JAKARTA (JP): Classical music lovers can once again watch the Nusantara Chamber Orchestra (NCO) in action at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta on Tuesday (March 11) at 8 p.m. As with its last performance, the NCO is again garnering the cooperation of overseas talents.

Conducting the NCO will be Gary Daverne, recently appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit on the Queen's last birthday in recognition of his services to music. Daverne is a professional conductor with extensive overseas experience, having just concluded a series of concerts in Turkey, Portugal and in England with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In March 1996, he conducted the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in a classical outdoor extravaganza before an audience of 120,000.

Daverne, who has held the position of musical director of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra for 20 years, is well-known in television, radio, and the recording industry as a composer, arranger, and musical director. In addition to being an accomplished jazz pianist, clarinetist and percussionist, he has written and produced some 600 advertising jingles and film soundtracks, 40 albums including popular songs and musicals for children, and has one platinum and two gold records under his belt.

Appearing as soloist will be young American cellist Reynard Rott. Currently 21 years of age, he won many regional and state competitions before enrolling at the Curtis Institute at the age of 16. Two years later, he transferred to Juilliard where he completed his Bachelor's degree in cello performance under the tutelage of Joel Krosnick last May.

Apart from his diverse solo and chamber music repertoire, Rott's particular interest in 20th century music has allowed him opportunities to work with some of the great contemporary composers including Krystof Penderecki and Milton Babbitt. As a member of the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, he has premiered over 40 new works, and was recently invited by Juilliard to join the New Juilliard Ensemble on a tour to Poland. Rott's experience as a soloist has taken him to various parts of the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

The first half of Tuesday's program will consist of Daverne's own composition entitled Concert Overture 'Youth of Auckland' and Antonin Dvorak's famous last symphony, From the New World. The second half will showcase the other mark of Dvorak's genius, the Cello Concerto in B minor, op. 104, with Rott as soloist.

Dvorak, a staunch Czech nationalist, was one of the great "naturals" of music -- an inexhaustible well of melody and delightful invention whose basic optimism has adhered him to music-lovers around the world. As a newcomer in America at the turn of the century, he couldn't understand why native American composers looked to Europe for inspiration when there was much to draw on from their own cultural heritage.

After undertaking a study of Negro and Indian music, he incorporated elements of both into his New World symphony. However, the work's combination of abounding vitality and innocent tenderness, a strong vein of autumnal nostalgia, and evocations of rustic Bohemian landscape in fact shows an intensified yearning for his native country.

The Cello Concerto was, quite simply, the greatest work for that medium in the whole music repertoire.

-- Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan