Classical
Upbeat for Monday 10 September
What can we expect from the newly announced Orchestra Wellington EPIC 2019 season? NZSO’s Andrew Joyce delves into the orchestra’s current classical hits tour and we explore works that will make you…
NZSO announces 2019 subscription season
The NZSO’s 2019 core repertoire season features favourites including Holst’s The Planets and Beethoven’s complete symphonies, new local commissions and a bevy of talented soloists. Audio
Upbeat for Friday 7 September
The NZSO announces its 2019 subscription series, we mark the passing of Italian maestro Claudio Scimone and we continue celebrating 2018 Gramophone winners.
Wellington in for a treat with Verdi’s Requiem
You’ll know it when you hear it. One of the vibrant choruses from Verdi’s famous Requiem has accompanied TV shows and advertisements, and was used in the NZ film “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”. Audio
Upbeat for Thursday 6 September
Instagram bans classical music and Israel public radio apologises for playing Wagner. Verdi’s Requiem is brought to life by Orchestra Wellington and we continue celebrating the 2018 Gramophone…
Upbeat for Tuesday 4 September
Auckland University’s head of Music Martin Rummel discusses the future of the music school and violinist Joshua Bell performs Saint-Saëns’s Third Violin Concerto as part of the BBC Proms.
Upbeat for Monday 3 September
We hear some performances from The Big Sing Finale, NZ Youth Choir’s David Squire explores the state of choral singing in New Zealand and we explore the winners of the Gramophone Chamber and Choral…
REVIEW: APO’s The Prodigal Son
Talented conductor Lionel Bringuier returned to Auckland to lead the APO in last night’s concert The Prodigal Son, featuring works from Ravel, Saint-Saens and Prokofiev. Peter Hoar was at the Town… Audio
Upbeat for Friday 31 August
Soprano Madison Nonoa wins the inaugural McCormick Opera Competition, Upbeat previews the Big Sing Finals with Adjudicator David Childs, and we review last night’s APO concert and round out the week…
Young gun conductor Lionel Bringuier returns to Auckland
French conductor Lionel Bringuier returns to lead the APO for the third time in tonight’s concert The Prodigal Son. He’s had a meteoric rise in the classical world. Bringuier’s Auckland concert will… Audio
12 year old singer set to wow when worlds collide with the APO
At only 12 years old, Rotorua school girl Zeeah Rona Waerea-Tamai is already hitting the right notes with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. She'll perform this weekend with the APO in South…
Upbeat for Thursday 30 August
Baritone Will King wins the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Wellington Aria Competition, French conductor Lionel Bringuier returns to lead the APO and we continue to explore quartets.
Review: NZSO performs Stravinsky & Rachmaninov
Edo de Waart led the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra performing Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony and Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1947 Revised Version) and Symphony in Three Movements.… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 28 August
16-year-old Russian pianist wins the Eurovision Young Musicians competition playing Tchaikovsky and we continue our 2018 Proms series with the BBC.
Five Faves with new NZ Opera leader Thomas de Mallet Burgess
New Zealand Opera recently announced Thomas de Mallet Burgess as its new General Director. He chooses five favourite pieces of music that speak to him on different levels. Video, Audio
Upbeat for Monday 27 August
NZ musical film Upstage has won an international award, NZ Opera’s new General Director Thomas de Mallet Burgess choses his Five Faves, and star violinist Augustin Hadelich plays Beethoven’s Violin…
Brothers bring their talents home
Christchurch brothers pianist Jun and cellist Yuuki Bouterey-Ishido are back home and enjoying some quality time together with their family. The talented duo are sharing their love of music with a… Audio
REVIEW: New Zealand String Quartet with Serenity Thurlow
The members of the New Zealand String Quartet showed off their impressive unity at last night's performance in Christchurch but was it enough to inspire reviewer Tony Ryan?
Upbeat for Friday 24 August
We celebrate National Poetry Day, hear from NZSO conductors Edo de Waart and Hamish McKeich and we complete our series on Hungarian music.
Upbeat for Thursday 23 August
Finalists for the best contemporary and soundtrack awards at the Silver Scrolls are announced and baritone James Harrison returns home to appear in court – but it’s a good thing.