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About Us
Resonance Ensemble was formed in February 2012 by players and is now firmly established as an integral part of the musical landscape of Christchurch and beyond. Recognised as a high-quality, innovative and flexible orchestral ensemble, Resonance provides opportunities for musicians and audiences to experience both popular and novel repertoire beyond the more standard fare offered by Christchurch’s only fully professional orchestra. Programmes range from music for chamber orchestra, works for larger ensemble, and New Zealand compositions, including new commissions.
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The orchestra, conducted by Tony Ryan, rehearses weekly, presenting four concerts per year, and works primarily with Christchurch-based soloists. Previous conductors have included Helen Renaud, Anthony Ferner and Mark Hodgkinson.
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Concert dates for 2026 are at 3pm on 29 March, 28 June, 13 September and 29 November, so diary them now. We look forward to presenting wonderful and innovative programmes for our growing and appreciative audience.
Thanks for your support.
Sweet Sorrow
​Music inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Bernstein, Rota, Hextall, Gounod
​3pm Sunday 30 November, at The Piano
Conductor: Tony Ryan
Saxophone: Lana Law; Soprano: Emily-Jane Stockman
Resonance Ensemble presents a concert of musical works inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - a source of inspiration for many composers.
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Tchaikovsky’s Fantasy Overture Romeo and Juliet is possibly the best-known musical masterpiece derived from Shakespeare’s great tragedy. With its dramatic fight music and heart-melting love theme, the overture’s colourful orchestration and lyrical melodic richness make it one of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved orchestral works and an obvious first choice for this programme.
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Described by many as the greatest ballet score ever written, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the composer’s most powerful and moving compositions. The suites that Prokofiev extracted from the score make superb concert pieces and the seven movements of Suite No. 2 in this concert contain some of Prokofiev’s most original and inventive music.
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West Side Story remains one of Broadway’s most successful shows. Its modern take on Romeo and Juliet demonstrates Shakespeare’s universal relevance across generations and centuries. Resonance Ensemble will include an orchestral selection of four favourite extracts from Bernstein’s masterly score, which later had a profound influence on the youthful energy of the street fight scenes in Zefferelli’s famous 1968 film of Shakespeare’s play. Resonance Ensemble’s programme includes Nino Rota’s poignant love theme A Time for Us, from the movie, which became a popular hit at the time.
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Perhaps every love story brings Shakespeare’s ill-fated lovers to mind. Also included in this concert, Christchurch composer Pieta Hextall’s Wedding Mixtape was written at the time of her brother’s wedding to celebrate a real-life love story. Saxophonist Lana Law brings her virtuoso skills as soloist to this piece.
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Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet is the most well-known and inspired of several operas derived from Romeo and Juliet. From Gounod’s masterpiece, soprano Emily-Jane Stockman joins Resonance Ensemble to sing Je Vieux Vivre where Juliet tells her parents that she doesn’t want to listen to their plans for her to marry – she wants to live and be free.​
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​​Timeless and soul-stirring themes of love and humanity bring Resonance Ensemble’s 2025 Season to a close with music that will melt your heart – what better way to end the musical year?
Tony Ryan is well-known to Christchurch audiences as a conductor, composer, educator, and reviewer. As a conductor he learnt his craft as repetiteur, chorus master and conductor for many organisations including Canterbury Opera where he was assistant to international guest conductors including Vanco Cavdarski, John Matheson, Martin Turnovsky and many others. Since then he has worked extensively as a conductor and composer for Court Theatre, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the Christchurch Youth Orchestra and others.
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In addition to Resonance Ensemble, Tony is the conductor of the Christchurch School of Music Sinfonia and the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival Orchestra. ​​​
Conductor: Tony Ryan
His compositions have frequently been performed and broadcast in New Zealand and abroad, most recently by Resonance Ensemble, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the Canterbury Philharmonia, and orchestras from the Christchurch School of Music.
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His Saxophone Concerto, with stellar saxophonist Alice Morgan, along with a brief Fanfare written in honour of New Zealand composer, John Ritchie, were featured in Resonance's Matariki concert in June. As a teacher Tony led the performing arts at Linwood College for more than thirty years followed by several years working in Kenya and Singapore. Tony also writes on matters of musical interest – check out his website.
Saxophone: Lana Law
It was love at first play when Lana Law first picked up the baritone sax at age 13. Following her passion, she went on to complete her Bachelor of Music (BMus) Degree in Jazz Performance at Massey University before touring the world as a professional musician. Lana loves music education, teaching students individually and in groups, both privately and as an itinerant music teacher and Band Director in schools.
Lana is the co-founder and Music Director of NZ’s first all-female big band, The All Girl Big Band, and the former Music Director of the Garden City Big Band, playing the lead alto saxophone chair in both these bands. Lana has been the Music Director of the Christchurch Youth Jazz Orchestra (CYJO) since 2021. In 2024, Lana adjudicated the National Youth Jazz Competition with Rodger Fox, as part of the Tauranga Jazz Festival and continued this role in 2025. Lana plays in various musical groups and as a session musician, both locally in Christchurch and nationally.
Leader: Cornelia Didenco
Cornelia was born in Moldova, one of the ex-Soviet Union republics and is a graduate of the Moldavian State Conservatorium. She has more than 30 years’ experience teaching and for most of that time has also played in symphony orchestras in both Moldova and New Zealand. During her time in the Moldavian Symphony Orchestra she performed at the Sala Verdi in La Scala, and at other prestigious venues in Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Romania.
After emigrating to New Zealand, she joined the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and has also appeared as a soloist and in chamber groups, and as the leader of Resonance Ensemble. Since joining the CSO she has toured with them to Japan and has performed with celebrities such as Diana Krall, Cliff Richard, George Benson, Serj Tankian, and Andrea Bocelli.