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Double Bass

Supported by Alison Thomson

Alanna joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2019.

She graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Shepherd School of Music, Rice University.

Alanna was previously a Fellow with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for two years, and the Tanglewood Music Center for two seasons. Her primary teachers include Scott Pingle, Timothy Pitts, Paul Ellison and Alex Henery.

Although born in the United States, Alanna grew up in the far north of New Zealand. She is a proud alumnus of iconic New Zealand music programmes, including Whangarei Youth Music, Auckland Youth Orchestra and the NZSO National Youth Orchestra.

A passionate educator, Alanna teaches all ages and levels but has a particular passion for teaching youngsters the double bass. She was a gymnastics coach for twenty years and has an acute awareness of biomechanics and anatomy. This has inspired an ergonomic approach to the bass, enabling students to access their full playing potential.

Alanna is a co-founder of the Wellington Music Education Trust.

My bass was made in France in 1884 by Gabriel Jacquet. 'Betty' sailed to Oriental Bay, Wellington, from the UK back in the 60's with her previous owner and made her way to me in 2018. She has the most beautiful dark cracked varnish that reminds me of my old Lindeman piano I played as a child.

Stephen Hough Masterclass

Pre-Concert Dinner 2027

Troy Kingi Presents: 10|10|10 - The Final Chapter with the NZSO

Online Classroom Sessions: Introduction to the Orchestra (Years 3-8)

Online Classroom Session: Soundscapes - How Music Can Tell a Story (Years 3-4)

Online Classroom Session: Musical Emotions (Years 0-2)

Beethoven Piano Concertos (1 & 5)

One Thousand and One Nights

NZSO Chamber Strings

Mozart's Gran Partita

Javier Perianes with NZSO Chamber Strings

Elouan String Quartet

Beethoven Piano Concertos (2, 3 & 4)

Pre-concert Dinner - Beethoven 9

Emerging Artists '27

Dvořák and Sibelius

Beethoven and Mozart

Baroque Delights: NZSO Summer Tour

Todd Young Composer Awards

Organ Recital with James McVinnie

Matariki Concert with Louis Baker

Kia Kotahi Beethoven

From the Canyon to the Stars

Art of the Score: The Music of Joe Hisaishi

Anna Lapwood: Cosmology

Anna Lapwood Organ Recital

A Short History of Beethoven Symphonies