Features

One family sharing a bathroom can be hard enough. What about a blended family with new step-siblings, dramas and dynamics? Katy Gosset looks at how to get the right blend. Audio

Forget those tragic rock-hard, numbers... these scones are light and fabulous, Annabelle says. The trick is to freeze and grate the butter – and touch the mixture only with a knife. Video, Audio

Iconic singer-songwriter and Nobel prize-winner Bob Dylan returns to New Zealand for two concerts this August. Nick Bollinger chooses five songs that offer a hint of what – and what not - to expect. 

Salina Fisher's Rainphase was premièred by the National Youth Orchestra in 2015. It's rapidly becoming a Kiwi classic and here it's performed by the NZSO conducted by Hamish McKeich. #NZMM Video, Audio

Tony Stamp meets the unique Auckland trio taking their 'guitarless guitar music' through the States this year. Video, Audio

Julie Brownlee's office is the outdoors and her co-workers are a flock of delightful dairy sheep. The 25-year-old runs a sheep milking farm in the Neudorf Valley near Nelson. Audio

Nick Bollinger discusses the multiple identities of gender-fluid, orthodox Jewish rocker Ezra Furman. Audio

On her new album Tell Me How You Really Feel, Australian musician Courtney Barnett lays all her cards on the table. Kirsten Johnstone would like to have a beer with her, but settles for a chat on the phone. Video, Audio

This week, Placido Domingo sings his 149th new role at the Met in Verdi's early gem Luisa Miller.

Peter Griffin and Emily Wang look at apps designed to monitor your digital wellbeing, Google and Facebook's new cloud storage services, and YouTube's bid for a bigger slice of music streaming. Audio

Horowhenua asparagus grower Geoff Lewis is branching out into strawberries so he can provide year-round instead of just seasonal work to his employees. Audio

Research about sharks being confused by classical music has caused gnashing of teeth.

Auckland R&B singer Sharnar was discovered at 15 after a video of her performing one of her own songs at high school got out. Now 22, she's already released three singles and has big plans for the future. Video, Audio

The race at Ohinewairua Station, near Taihape, aims to find a runner that can beat a horse over an endurance distance. Audio, Gallery

Where are the classical artists on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s NZ Music Month playlist? Upbeat compile a few classical Kiwi classics for her to add.

Alex Taylor has composed a number of works for the bassoonist Ben Hoadley. The five movements of this concerto have intriguing titles: heave, shuffle, trudge, jolt, and roam. #NZMM Video, Audio

After losing his teenage son to cancer, Tauranga tattoo artist and teacher Stu McDonald is convinced taa moko [traditional Māori tattoo] can play a role in healing emotional pain. Audio

The makers of non-plastic, compostable bag say they are still struggling to get the right certifications as the current standards favour bags produced using petro-chemicals. Audio, Gallery

The latest DNA technology, based on techniques used in forensic science, is being adapted to detect spawning trout in Manawatu rivers. Audio

A look ahead to the All Blacks squad naming on Sunday, the chances of a Pacific Islands team joining Super Rugby, and we hear from David Nyika, who wants his stolen gold medal back. Audio

Chinese music for Autumn is featuring in this afternoon's Music Alive Matinée. NZTrio plays works by Zhou Long, Gao Ping, Gareth Farr and Rachmanninov.

Kākā have nested metres from backyards and tui are “dripping off the trees” in a Wellington suburb where residents have been trapping predators. Audio

Brass lovers can enjoy an encore season of David Bremner's popular series Brilliant Brass on the radio from 1pm, or here anytime.

This week we speak to laconic Aussie indie-rocker, Courtney Barnett; local electronic stalwart Sola Rosa drops in; we talk diversity, well-being and regional isolation ahead of the NZ Music Month Summit;  and rock legend Rick Bryant is in choosing tracks for the Mixtape