Ms Filimoehala’s NZSO breakthrough
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
One of our music teachers and conductors, Ms Linda Filimoehala, has returned from an extraordinary professional development experience, one that placed her among just five associates selected nationwide to train with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO).
The programme consists of three intensive workshops, with the first taking place over four days in February. It opened with the unusual challenge of a silent conducting session.
“There was no music, no orchestra - just you, your score, and your own sense of movement,” she explained. “The mentors focused on the gracefulness of our gestures and whether our cues were actually meaningful. You don’t need to be so ‘beaty.’ You need to bring something that adds value to the music.”
On the second day, the associates worked with a small group of five string players. Conducting only part of the ensemble forced them to listen differently and communicate with precision.
It was during this session that Ms Filimoehala received a memorable piece of feedback: her face was so expressive that the mentors asked her to conduct without using her hands at all.
As a euphonium player with an extensive background in brass bands, where precision is essential, she initially focused on marking every beat and every entry. In the world of symphony orchestras, she discovered, a different kind of leadership is required.
“In an orchestra, you need to bring players in early, sometimes two bars before their entry. It’s all about connection. You look them in the eye and let them know they’re part of the moment.”
This shift in perspective was transformative. She learned that conducting is about leading with the feeling of the piece.
The culmination of the workshop was the chance to conduct the full New Zealand Symphony Orchestra - a first for her.
“It was the most profound musical experience of my life. From the very first movement, the music pierced my heart so deeply that I found myself just crying and conducting. It felt like I wasn’t standing in front of the orchestra, but within it. Like we were all breathing the same air, sharing an understanding of how the music needed to be felt and we were completely in it together and then the players start tearing up with me. I was so Mafana [Tongan for a warm emotional state]."
We're excited to see how her this experience benefits the students under her conductorship!
