Producer's Notes
The performers who make up BonaNZa! are outstanding orchestral musicians in their own right. Together, they form a truly outstanding and entertaining trombone quartet playing virtuoso and comedic trombone.
I am confident that you will fall for them as I have. They are outstanding international musicians, virtuoso instrumentalists, and hilarious.
I first heard of them by chance, working away in my office on a Saturday morning with my radio tuned to the National Programme, listening to Kim Hill.
I didn't hear the programme announcement, but gradually realised, as you do, that this was a very interesting interview. And that's how I learned about Dave Bremner and BonaNZa! I was intrigued. I knew nothing about them other than what I had learned from Kim Hill, so I made inquiries of those I knew in the brass band community, and found that David Bremner, principal trombone of the NZSO, is one of the most gifted instrumentalists in New Zealand.
I contacted Radio New Zealand to enquire if they had a copy of that interview in their archives… it was five years ago! They did, and were kind enough to send me a copy. So here it is. It is an absorbing interview, almost an hour long, so you will need a comfortable chair and suitable liquid refreshment of some kind.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2488702/playing-trombones-with-bonanza
I met with Dave in Wellington (his home town) and discussed bringing his group to Blenheim to play in our new theatre as part of the first Cavalcade season. He was enthusiastic, as he knows Blenheim well, having friends here and visiting it regularly as Principal Trombone for the NZSO
The only thing remaining for me to do was to send a spy to a BonaNZa! concert to see if they were really as good as I had heard that they were. So I did, and when I checked with her the next morning - she was still laughing. She reported that the whole BonaNZa! programme was a joy, and her only disappointment was that it wasn't on again tonight - if it was, she'd go again.
I hope that you enjoy BonaNZa! as much as my spy did. I’m sure you will.
Robin Sutherland
ps.
Radio New Zealand sent me another Dave Bremner interview – on another topic. You may find this interesting too, so here it is.
