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.
Bells and whistles
LANDFALL, a new Rattle album of New Zealand percussion music performed by Justin DeHart, is curated for variety and contrast.
Musical soulmates
Melanie Lançon, Bede Hanley and Stephen de Pledge are on a ten-centre tour for Chamber Music NZ with a trio programme called “Fantasy and Romance”.
Jazz oasis
Sanctuary by saxophonist/composers Jasmine Lovell-Smith and Jake Baxendale is a recent jazz release that shows off their fine rapport and different compositional flavours.
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.
RNZ Concert’s new Manager: passion for music and radio
RNZ Concert’s new Manager has a passion for New Zealand music and radio. She wants more people to enjoy what Concert has to offer.
Inspired by a frozen continent
Composer Ihlara McIndoe’s new work for the NZSO NYO, Ephemeral Bounds, was inspired by the sounds she found in Antarctica.
When the curtain suddenly falls
What does it really mean to the performing arts when the curtain comes down without notice?
Richard Nunns - breathing life into singing treasures
A personal tribute to Richard Nunns, pioneering specialist in performance on taonga pūoro, who died this month.
Stars align
Gareth Farr is enormously proud of his new work for the NZSO, Ngā Hihi o Matariki (The Rays of Matariki).
Artistry in virtuosity
Amalia Hall dazzled the audience with her performance in Paganini’s 2nd Violin Concerto with Orchestra Wellington. It was much more than virtuosity.
Taking us to New York City
Pianist Somi Kim makes her Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra debut this week in George Gershwin’s jazz-infused Piano Concerto in F.
An award-winning conductor rolls up her sleeves
Kiwi conductor Holly Mathieson, Music Director of Symphony Nova Scotia, is in New Zealand for concerts with the NZSO and APO.
Janáček – the power of love
NZ String Quartet brings us the power and colour of Janáček’s two romantic works The Kreutzer Sonata and Intimate Letters on their latest CD.
Optimistic notes
Composer Anthony Ritchie’s 5th Symphony, “Childhood”, looks forward with optimism. It’s now on a beautifully packaged CD.
Raising the curtain on Wellington Opera
Mozart’s Don Giovanni is the premiere production of a new opera company in Wellington. On opening night the applause was whole-hearted.
Dame Gillian Whitehead at 80: weaving the threads together
Dame Gillian Whitehead is 80 years old. Now living in New Zealand, she has woven together the threads of her Māori and pākeha heritage in recent works.
Nocturnal pleasures
In pianist Jian Liu’s touring recital “Nocturnes” the choice of music is as well-judged as his fine playing.
Transfigured Night – from saucy games to passionate desire
Chamber Music New Zealand’s Transfigured Night tour with the New Zealand String Quartet and BalletCollective Aotearoa is not your average chamber music concert.
Human significance
The tragic story of a condemned woman inspires a powerful work. A review of a new CD from Ross Harris and Vincent O’Sullivan.
Inside, outside and not about gender
A review of a recent concert, “Inside-Out”, by the SMP Ensemble and a postscript about “music by women” in concert programmes.