Orchestrated love affair

Sharu Delilkan | 30th November 2009

It will be the sound of sweet music when an American couple celebrate Christmas, without having to travel between hemispheres, writes Sharu Delilkan.

Oboist Camille White and French horn player Carl Wells cannot erase their smiles. The reason for the Mt Eden couple's happiness is that Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's Celebrate Christmas concert has reunited them.

This Christmas will be the first since the two young American twentysomethings met that they won't need to travel between hemispheres to be together.

They've endured two years apart since Wells moved from Boston to New Zealand with his family. White had to stay in Boston to complete her musical studies. So, when she heard Auckland Philharmonia was looking for an oboist, the Curtis School of Music graduate said, "Pick me!''.

The orchestra did, hence the pair's big grins.

Celebrate Christmas is an annual Auckland tradition, with families gathering to enjoy hearing a full orchestra, choir and soloist perform classical music inspired by the season of goodwill.

On this year's programme is music by, among others, Bach, Mendelssohn, Sibelius and Vaughan Williams.

And Wells is excited to be playing Bach's Prelude & Fugue.

"I'm also looking forward to seeing what our composer in residence, Chris Adams, has done with well-known Christmas music. It'll be interesting to play the music with a Kiwi twist.''

Celebrate Christmas, at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, December 11, 7.30pm and December 13, 3pm. Tickets: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, ph 623 1052 or see
www.apo.co.nz