I'm looking forward to my visit to the Aspiring Conversations sessons of the Wanaka Festival of Colour this weekend, and especially this conversation I'm involved with, a celebration of poet Brian Turner. Here's a little preview piece...

"Norris's objective in SoundCathedral was 'an immersive, rich spatio-sonic experience for the audience'. He has succeeded brilliantly." My review of a Festival highlight, composer Michael Norris's SOUNDCATHEDRAL, presented by Stroma and the Tudor Consort in the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts.

A new chamber ensemble on the scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. My review of their first 2026 concert.. #korimakotrio #HelenePohl #RolfGjelsten #MichaelEndres

An unmissable Festival concert this Sunday in Wellington at 6.30pm. Details in this Five Lines profile of the life and career of Dr Karen Grylls, who will conduct Voices NZ - perhaps for the last time. Have a read - it was a pleasure to write her story. #choralmusic #newzealandmusic

My review of the Adam Chamber Music Festival in Nelson, which began my concert-going year with a joyous out-pouring of top-notch performances combined with a lovely camaraderie between the musicians that spilled over into the music. #chambermusic #NewZealandmusic

A new album, Rerenga, from New Zealand composer @michael-norris.bsky.social and #Rattle. Five profound and compelling masterpieces, brilliant performances and top-drawer production values. My Five Lines review - have a read and a listen. #NZSO #NZTrio #Stroma #TaongaPūoro #throatsinging

How does a double bassist become an acclaimed virtuoso? My profile of Phoebe Russell, one of the starry guests about to arrive in New Zealand for the Adam Chamber Music Festival in Nelson. Her bass journey has taken her to Canada and the Berlin Phil and back to the QSO...and she loves her job!

My review of the NZTrio's high energy moto perpetuo performance to end their year - thrilling playing!

What happens to artists under an oppressive regime? Shostakovich survived and his music tells an eloquent story with irony and passion. My review of six concerts of his music 50 years after his death by #OrchestraWellington and the #NZStringQuartet - some big questions answered.

My review of @joycedidonato.bsky.social's debut visit to New Zealand. What singing - and what generosity! #NZSO #GemmaNew

My profile of cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, who has travelled from teenage prodigy to acclaimed and deeply thoughtful global star, acquiring his 300-year-old Goffriller cello on the way. He's playing in New Zealand very soon-details in the story. www.fivelines.nz/articles/cel...

How far should a performer go to respect the integrity of a composer's work? Or should they make it their own and be as inventive as possible? If an audience is thrilled, is that enough? My review of violinist Pekka Kuuisto's Four Seasons with NZSO. www.fivelines.nz/articles/nzs...

My review of a marvellous concert by NZTrio and Emma Pearson, soprano on tour with Chamber Music NZ. New Plymouth tonight, Hamilton, Christchurch and Nelson in the next few days - one not to miss! This ensemble is hot! www.fivelines.nz/articles/fou...

My diary from a fab month of concerts in Europe, from Esa-Pekka Salonen in Berlin to Klaus Mäkelä and Concertgebouw's Mahler 5 and Rite of Spring in Bucharest. András Schiff, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Isabel Faust, Iván Fisher, Budapest Festival Orch, Les Siècles among other highlights. #classicalmusic

The bold and brilliant composer Victoria Kelly hit it out of the park with her new Stabat Mater for #NZSO - here's my review: www.fivelines.nz/articles/nzs...

In the medieval old town in Braşov in Transylvania - just what is this design on this excellent coffee? Something to do with Dracula?

Visited the Stasi museum in Leipzig today, which was chilling! It explained how the Stasi surveilled and harassed ordinary citizens on the basis of minor negative comments on the regime. Scarily like what’s happening in some so-called democracies today. Dark times revisited.

Hanging out in Berlin with my friend Jane - you might like to follow her, she’s new here.

Excellent article by Tayla Forward - confirms my gut feeling that increasing unemployment, homelessness and environmental degradation doesn’t make a resilient economy - read to the end.

"It reminds us" Simon Rattle said in 2015, "of people making desperate boat journeys..people trying to find their children who are in mortal danger." Ten years later this powerful work has lost none of its global relevance. NZ Opera is bringing The Monster in the Maze to 3 NZ cities - my preview.

An outstanding analysis by the remarkable Timothy Snyder. How wonderful (and unlikely) if American politicians, officials and media humbly took note of his important negotiating issues before meeting with Ukrainian and European leaders. open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...

A great production of Verdi's A Masked Ball by Wellington Opera, the little opera company that can! Great singing by some of our top singers, stylishly simple design, an imaginative production, Orchestra Wellington fine in the pit. My review:

A new Music Director for the NZSO is a big deal. André de Ridder is conducting Immerse Festival concerts in Wellington and shortly in Auckland (this weekend). My review of the Wellington concerts, including masterpieces by Stravinsky and the team of Salina Fisher and Jerome Kavanagh Poutama.

The headlines somewhat disguise the fact that the govt plans to change the Conservation Act to allow more tourism, more agriculture and more infrastructure on conservation land. Our environment is again under attack from Luxon’s “growth”! www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Congratulations Wellington Opera and Stroma for this important premiere. It's hugely important that the strong, distinctive strands of our cultures be carefully and gently entwined with aroha and pride, as demonstrated by one of our finest composers. Ka rawe, Dame Gillian Whitehead!

There was something especially cheering about a brilliant performance by the 74 young musicians of the 2025 NZSO National Youth Orchestra. "The atmosphere in the hall during the prolonged ovation was electric. Bravi tutti!" My review: #NZSONYO #romanticmusic #newmusic #orchestralmusic

I'm attracted by good concert curation and, if your name is The Night Watch, darkness seems a good theme. Here's my profile of this splendid Wellington ensemble, combining Australasia's finest early music specialists in a concert called "in Darknesse" next week - details in the story.

Love the music of Shostakovich? I wrote this article about his life and work to mark the 50th anniversary of his death, to support New Zealand organizations performing his orchestral and chamber music this year, and to illustrate his contemporary relevance. #shostakovich #Stalinism #dictators

Len Lye, Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Luis Buñuel - contemporary ensemble Stroma has put together some remarkable early films with more recent new music including two premieres. Have a read of my review of their adventurous programme 'Anemic Cinema'. #Dadaism #Surrealism #Pacificdrums #newmusic

A 'good news' music story to brighten your day! Conductor Reuben Brown's journey to a career on the podium has been supported by Aotearoa's professional conductors, our orchestras and his own talent and determination. #classicalmusic #conducting #orchestralmusic #mentoring

For my preview of the NZ seasons of a new La Bohème by Puccini, I talked to Brad Cohen, NZ Opera's General Director and conductor of the Auckland performances. Have a read. You might agree with Brad - and me - that you shouldn't miss this production of one of the most popular operas ever. #opera

You can read about - and listen to - the latest re-imagining of internationally-acclaimed Kiwi composer John Psathas' Voices at the End, a collaboration with London-based pianist Dawn Hardwick, in this Five Lines album review by Raf Hosking. www.fivelines.nz/articles/joh...

My review of the NZSO's recent concert with conductor Masaaki Suzuki - or, how a "quietly compelling conductor...sculpted a transparent and shapely performance." Sometimes the novelty is in the repertoire - in this concert, it was the performance that shone like new. #Bach #Mozart #Beethoven

This busy Kiwi musician is playing the roles of concerto soloist, concertmaster and chamber musician in Aotearoa and around the world. Have a read - and subscribe (it's free) for more artist profiles, concert and album reviews and previews. Three new stories today!

Brilliant article by Sir Ian on the shameful shenanigans over pay equity this week. The return of “pillock”! www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

Ahead of her Auckland concert on 15 May, Auckland Philharmonia's Principal Guest Conductor Shiyeon Sung talked to Five Lines about how conducting has taken her from a childhood as a talented pianist in South Korea to a Berlin-based international career on the podium. #conducting #womenconductors

The latest review on my site Five Lines, which is 5 years old today. Subscription is still free and your sub is a gesture of support for my work - 200+ reviews, previews, profiles and stories about music in Aotearoa/NZ so far. NZTrio's tour is in Auckland, Cambridge, Rotorua and Whakatane next.

This programme was hugely valuable for both students and artists. Please sign! our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/re...

A multi-layered collaboration, with NYC minimalism from Glass and Reich played by the NZ String Quartet and new choreography inspired by his ancestors and the shifting winds of Lake Taupō by Moss Te Ururangi Patterson of the NZ Dance Company. Did it all come together in 100 Winds? My review:

Young opera singers live in a challenging world of competitions and auditions as they pursue their dreams. Here's my profile of tenor Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, a quiet boy from Flaxmere who's succeeding in a very loud profession! Have a read of this joyous story of persistence, talent and support.

My review of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's opening concert of the 2025 season - or, how a major arts organisation created a sense of of a special occasion by engaging the audience with some personal touches and extra pizzazz. #NZSO #GemmaNew #EmilyBeynon #GuillaumeConnesson #GarethFarr

A birthday tribute to the ebullient and brilliant Diedre Irons, who turned 80 last month and is playing Beethoven piano concerti with three New Zealand orchestras this year. Have a read about her life, from child prodigy in Winnipeg to the Curtis Institute and then New Zealand...

"A gigantic web created in darkness..." A beautiful work created by composer Lucien Johnson, dancers and choreographers Lucy Marinkovich & Michael Parmenter, and lighting designer Martyn Roberts. My review of a brilliant collaboration: #NZmusic #contemporarydance #collaboration

My review of a cracker of a debut album from this outstanding young string quartet. They’re based in London and their violist is the remarkable Kiwi musician Bryony Gibson-Cornish. Have a read and a listen! #marmenquartet #ligeti #bartók #BIS

My Five Lines review of New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's current tour, "Timeless Beauty: Handel & Telemann" - for me, "...the most successful Baroque music concert the NZSO has presented in recent years". Concerts coming up in Palmerston North, Napier, Rotorua, Hamilton and Tauranga. #baroquemusic

Happy Pride! 🌈 After the Destiny Church crew were booed from the scene, the Dykes on Bikes led the way!

A review from Five Lines guest writer Elliot Vaughan, reporting from the NZ Fringe - sparks flew in this exhilarating collaborative concert, called "A Gathering". Have a read!

A pianist, a composer and 21 Nocturnes. How the remarkable Piers Lane held an audience spellbound for over two hours - my review of the first concert of a 13-centre New Zealand tour. Check the schedule at the bottom for a town near you. #Chopin #pianomusic #PiersLane #classicalmusic

What really happened in the Oval Office - Timothy Snyder explains and it’s chilling! open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...