Late Baby Means Change of Soloist for APO

Australian trumpeter Mark Fitzpatrick is stepping into the soloist spot for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra after featured trumpeter Tristram Williams was forced to pull out due to the late arrival of his firstborn.

Tristram was scheduled to perform Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with the APO in the APN News and Media Premier Series Concert 11 on Thursday 11 November.  The concert will be conducted by young Bulgarian conductor Danail Rachev who is the assistant conductor at the Philadelphia Orchestra.

“We’ve been crossing our fingers that Tristram’s baby would arrive on time and he would still be able to make the concert, but nature is taking its time. We are thrilled to have found a great replacement in Mark,” says APO artistic planning manager Ronan Tighe.

It’s not the first-time Mark, who is Orchestra Victoria’s principal trumpet, has stepped in for the APO in similar circumstances – Mark stood in for APO principal trumpet Brent Grapes earlier this year when his baby was late to make an appearance!

“We were very much looking forward to Tristram’s debut with the APO,” Mr Tighe says, “but we needed to give Mark time to prepare for the concert so had to make the call.”

Mark is familiar to Auckland concertgoers – he was the APO’s principal trumpet in 2008 and he says he is looking forward to playing again in Auckland.

“I always remember the warm Auckland audiences and they will love this beautiful, lyrical piece from a master composer.  I know all about babies creating unusual situations in the music world. I missed the end of a ballet season in Melbourne four months ago when my first child arrived ahead of schedule.”

Mark began playing cornet at the age of 10 years and says he quickly fell in love with brass music. He won numerous brass band solo competitions including the Australian and New Zealand Open Soprano Cornet Championships, the Victorian Champion of Champions title in 2004 and the Australian Open Champion of Champions title in 2005. In 2005 he won the Barry Tuckwell Prize at the Melbourne International Festival of Brass.