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.
STROMA: playing with light and colour
An imaginative, superbly played programme from new music ensemble STROMA shows the group is an essential part of our musical fabric.
NZ Trio: unquiet dreams, musical arguments and a wild ride
In a typically adventurous touring programme, NZ Trio has introduced audiences to the astonishing New York-based composer Lera Auerbach.
At the World’s Edge Festival: electrifying ensembles
Violinists Benjamin Baker and Justine Cormack have created something special with their At the World’s Edge Festival in Central Otago. AWE 2023 was an exhilarating event in many ways.
Confronting the Modern Gods: John Psathas and Fabian Ziegler
The album Modern Gods, music by composer John Psathas performed by percussionist Fabian Ziegler and pianist Akvilė Šileikaitė, confronts the relationship between people and the “modern gods” of technology.
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.
Stroma celebrates its 20th anniversary
An interview with composer Michael Norris, co-director of Stroma, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a concert of music from Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.