New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Grunge, classical music and Leonard Bernstein
NZSO guest conductor Brett Mitchell explains what classical music, grunge, and musical theatre have in common and what composer Leonard Bernstein has to do with it. Audio
Upbeat for Wednesday 9 May
What’s going on with the English National Opera banning food in the London Coliseum; we hear some of Teddy Tahu Rhodes’ new album; Bernstein and Vivaldi with NZSO guest conductor Brett Mitchell, and…
Upbeat for Monday 7 May
How a young trumpeter successfully funded his Juilliard education; many British orchestral musicians say they are living on the breadline; we celebrate the brilliance of Bernstein with singer Morgan…
Upbeat for Friday 4 May
May the 4th be with you! Five faves from NZSO timpanist Larry Reese; Peter Hoar reviews Phantasm, we discover how going to concerts makes you live longer, and we mark International Gardening Day.
Kiwi classic ENZSO's makeover
Split Enz and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra joined forces 21 years ago to perform and record some of the best known Kiwi hits. ENZSO is now returning, in a smaller set up, with original ENZSO… Video, Audio
Upbeat for Thursday 3 May
It’s been 21 years since ENZSO. Eddie Rayner shares his memories. How common music experiences can help grow parental-child relationships, Soprano Nadine Sierra and young conductor Ryan Bancroft wins…
Fisher’s Tupaia celebrates the Pacific navigator
Salina Fisher’s Tupaia has just had its first performances by the NZSO. The work is the first of four pieces commissioned to mark the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 24 April
We get creative with Victoria Spackman, Salina Fisher takes us through her new commission, and we hear Dvořák’s seventh symphony.
Review: NZSO Berlioz, Debussy & Ravel
The world premiere of Salina Fisher’s new piece Tupaia was given by the NZSO and Music Director Edo de Waart last week. Fisher’s piece sat alongside Berlioz’ Les Nuits d'Été sung by US mezzo-soprano… Audio
Upbeat for Monday 23 April
Why are artists giving back Echo awards, we mark NZ Dance week, Elizabeth Kerr reviews the NZSO’s Berlioz, Debussy & Ravel programme, the Behn Quartet talk about their tour of New Zealand and we… Video
Upbeat for Thursday April 19
We look at new research that shows how biased humans are towards music, Placido Domingo takes to the stage at the Met, Bret McKenzie discusses the Muppets, and we hear Gareth Farr’s Cello Concerto and…
Upbeat for Tuesday 17 April
We highlight classical music artists and ensembles from non-western countries, celebrate classically trained Nina Simone’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ross Harris discusses his new…
Review: NZSO's Shed Series featuring Zappa & Mozart
The NZSO and Frank Zappa normally wouldn’t go together, but they were quite the pairing at last Friday’s first performance of the Orchestra’s Shed Series in Wellington. Hadyn Green went to experience… Audio
Upbeat for Monday 16 April
Opera star Jessye Norman wins the Gould Prize, we mark the passing of film director Miloš Forman, review the NZSO’s first shed series gig, and begin a new series exploring great composers and their…
Listen to the NZSO get Zappy
Off to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Shed Series tonight? Conductor Hamish McKeich gives us the inside word on gig etiquette, Frank Zappa and Mozart. Audio
Upbeat for Friday 13 April
What happens when an airline crushes a very expensive instrument; did the APO & pianist Ingrid Fliter sparkle in A Night of Firsts; what’s the gig etiquette at tonight’s NZSO Shed Series concert and…
Review: NZSO & the Naughton Piano Duo
Christina and Michelle Naughton wowed the audience at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on Friday night with their performance of Mozart’s Concerto for two pianos with the NZSO. Fiona McCabe… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 10 April
We feature Rachmaninov’s Vespers sung by Wellington choir Inspirare, five favourite tunes chosen by Argentinian pianist Ingrid Fliter ahead of her APO appearance; Fiona McCabe reviews the NZSO’s…
MAHLER: Symphony No 5 in C sharp minor
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Edo de Waart. Audio
Classical music for kids
Never work with animals and small children. Someone should have told that to the NZSO! Hamish McKeich conducts, and Chris Lam Sam narrates, A Musical Menagerie – a family concert featuring three… Audio