Five Lines is a collection of writings about music in Aotearoa New Zealand by Elizabeth Kerr. It features short articles, artist profiles and reviews of concerts, operas and albums. You can subscribe - it’s free - at the bottom of any story.
Sonoro Quartet with Tony Chen Lin: a fresh approach to beloved music
The Sonoro Quartet with pianist Tony Chen Lin is touring Aotearoa at the moment. Their excitingly fresh and bold approach to their programme of Schubert and Schumann is delighting audiences.
Voices New Zealand and the shining light of Karen Grylls
The recent concert “When Light Breaks” revealed many aspects of the art of Dr Karen Grylls, who has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her outstanding contributions to choral music.
NZSO’s Emperor – Beethoven rules
Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, in a stunning performance by pianist Paul Lewis and the NZSO under conductor Eduardo Strausser, was the show-stealing centrepiece of a recent concert.
Personal stories: the NZSO’s Bloch & Shostakovich
The common thread binding the works in the NZSO’s “Bloch and Shostakovich: Enduring Spirit” was, Donald Runnicles told us, a “strong personal identification” between each composer and his music.
J S Bach’s St Matthew Passion: monumental and humane
The Tudor Consort’s St Matthew Passion by JS Bach vividly communicated the drama of this monumental work under the direction of Michael Stewart.
New Zealand String Quartet: the wearing of the green
The New Zealand String Quartet collaborated with Irish composer and musician Dave Flynn for a joyous programme on St Patrick’s Day.
Eve de Castro-Robinson premiere: a quiet centre in NZTrio concert
Eve de Castro-Robinson’s new work, the willing air, is the quiet centre of a marvellously curated programme by NZTrio called Homeland 1.
Music & Memory: a tribute concert for Barry Brickell
Music & Memory was a tribute concert for potter Barry Brickell, a remarkable event devised by Robert Oliver that linked 16th century music for viols, taonga pūoro, words and images to celebrate one of Aotearoa’s most original thinkers.
NZSO Requiem: life and death across three centuries
The NZSO’s “Requiem” concert offered music about life and death from John Psathas, Richard Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Conductor Gemma New brought energetic inspiration to all three works.
NZSO and Mahler’s 4th Symphony: naïve yet profound
Mahler’s 4th Symphony has a genial, naïve quality that belies a profound and sophisticated composition. The NZSO’s recent performance had it all but failed to attract a big audience.
NZTrio: seductive interpretations
The NZTrio are on the road with their Legacy 3 programme.The Wellington performance revealed the Trio at their musical best.
STROMA: Dream Architects
STROMA’s recent Wellington concert, Dream Architects, featured New Zealand composers in a global context alongside the modernist master Xenakis on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Van Diemen’s Band: a baroque ensemble crosses borders
The Tasmanian Baroque ensemble, Van Diemen’s Band, brought an intriguing boundary-crossing programme called Borderlands to New Zealand for a Chamber Music New Zealand tour.
The Tudor Consort and Palestrina: joyous and atmospheric
The Tudor Consort’s performance of Palestrina’s masterpiece, Missa Papae Marcelli, within a liturgical reconstruction offered high quality music-making, thoughtful curation and a joyous spirit.
John Psathas The All-Seeing Sky: the inspiration of friends
Orchestra Wellington’s “Circle of Friends” includes their composer-in-residence John Psathas and his percussionist friends Fabian Ziegler and Luca Staffelbach from Switzerland. Psathas’ new double percussion concerto may be one of his finest compositions.
NZTrio: celebrating a legacy
NZTrio’s splendid Legacy 1 programme in Wellington celebrated the ensemble’s 20th birthday, a proud history of New Zealand commissions and a beautiful piano in a new home.
Gareth Farr premiere: Where Will They Bury My Bones
A moving new work, Where will they bury my bones? by Gareth Farr and Paul Horan, had its premiere as a film with ex-patriate New Zealanders in the chamber ensemble.
NZ String Quartet: subtlety and flair
The New Zealand String Quartet’s National Tour 2021 took two well-crafted programmes around the country, sharing the variety of contrasting characters the ensemble can play.
A tale of two pianists
Two very different piano recitals by exciting young New Zealand pianists recently offered thought-provoking contrasts.
The conductor’s art
Gemma New visited New Zealand recently to conduct the NZSO and National Youth Orchestra in music by Gareth Farr, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. She brought both musical understanding and composing skill to the podium.