RNZ Music
Featured Music Stories
A brief history of New Zealand hip-hop
Brad Warrington, AKA DJ Sticky Fingaz, starts us on a journey through New Zealand hip-hop and how he first got hooked. Video, Audio
-
Classical music mysteries: 'Case Notes'
Black magic, theft, grave digging, gruesome crimes...some of the most famous classical composers led dark and interesting lives. We share some of 'Haydn's Missing Head' from the Case Notes podcast produced by Classic FM. Audio
-
LIVE: Stan Walker on his new single 'Give'
Stan Walker wrote 'Give' in response to the Christchurch mosque attacks. He talks us through his reaction, and his belief that music can help people. Video, Audio
-
PERE: Keeping the creative passion burning
Maimoa Music crew member Pere Wihongi has released his song 'High on Ingoingo' to encourage and inspire rangatahi. Pere speaks to Yadana Saw about being the brightest, sparkliest thing out of Herekino. Video, Audio
RNZ Concert
RNZ Concert is New Zealand’s fine music network. Concert promotes New Zealand music and composition and features live broadcasts of concerts and recitals, as well as international content from other public radio broadcasters, podcasts, and on-demand programmes.
-
New Horizons: Esperanza Spalding's 12 Little Spells
14 Jul 2019Jazz bassist and singer, Esperanza Spalding's new album 12 Little Spells is surely about as personal as you can get: a collection of songs about various parts of the body. William Dart checks out the album itself and her journey getting to it. Video, Audio
-
Music Alive: Brass Band Gala
43 minutes agoHere's a concert featuring the National Band of NZ and then the reigning champion band Wellington Brass.
-
APO founding member John Ure dies
1:38 pm todayThe Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s founding principal horn, who later added administration roles and became Director of Operations, has died in Auckland. Audio
Featured Music Programmes
-
Moondog: The Viking of 6th Avenue
2 days agoRyan Smith explores the world of 'Moondog', the American street musician who became an iconic figure in New York City. Audio
-
New Norris commission evokes Cook's arrival in NZ
13 Jul 2019Michael Norris talks about how and why his new NZSO commission Mātauranga (Rerenga) for taonga pūoro, live electronics and orchestra, evokes James Cook's first… Audio
-
Sound Lounge: Mystic George Gurdjieff - composer of electric guitar music?
13 Jul 2019Gurdjieff is remembered as one of the great mystics of the early 20th century. But he also composed! Gunter Herbig explains why he chose electric guitar to… Video
Coming up
-
Sound Lounge: From dark to light - Mike Hogan's Matariki Suite
29 Jun 2019In his Matariki Suite for solo guitar Mike Hogan follows the transition of the Matariki star cluster from dark to light.
Coming up
Recent Music Stories
-
Music 101 Pocket Edition 243: Villainy/ Warpaint
18 Jul 2019On this week's Pocket Edition, Yadana Saw chats to Villainy about people mispronouncing their name and Elliott Childs talks to US band Warpaint backstage in Wellington. Audio
-
Music Critic: Kate Robertson
18 Jul 2019Kate Robertson reviews Something Keeps Calling by Raphael Saadiq and Look What You're Doing To Me by BANKS. Audio
-
Community outreach a priority for CSO
The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra has an innovative community engagement programme, including working in schools, partnering with dance companies, and much more. CSO's Cathy Irons and Gretchen La… Audio
-
What the judge is looking for at the Wallace National Piano Competition
17 Jul 2019Charles Owen, described by The Guardian as “one of the finest British pianists of his generation” is in the country to judge the Wallace National Piano Competition. He gives us an insight into what… Audio
-
Music With Elliott Childs
17 Jul 2019Music reviewer Elliott Childs looks at the music films on offer at the New Zealand International Film Festival, including Carmine Street Guitars, about Rick Kelly and his workshop in New York where he… Audio
-
The music of David Lynch films
David Lynch is one of the most distinctive and important directors of 20th century cinema. We take a trip through some of the finest musical moments in his decorated career Audio
-
The Jerusalem Quartet front up
The Jerusalem Quartet give New Zealand String Quartet violist Gillian Ansell a glimpse into their genesis as an ensemble meeting as teenagers in Israel soon after emigrating from the Soviet Union.
… Video, Audio
-
Ariana Tikao brings mana wahine to the stage
16 Jul 2019The stories of a prominent Ngāi Tahu storyteller and leader from the 19th century, Teone Taare Tikao are being brought to life on stage by one of his descendants. Audio
-
The murky world of unofficial Spotify playlists
16 Jul 2019The rise of music streaming has created a bunch of new ways for musicians to get their music heard, but some of them aren’t quite what they seem.
Coming up
-
Nashville Babylon 15 July, 2019
15 Jul 2019On tonight's Nashville Babylon Mark previews the forthcoming Southern Fork Americana Festival with music from Pokey LaFarge, the Felice Brothers and Molly Tuttle. There's also a live session track… Audio
-
Dunedin Symphony Orchestra highlights the city's talents
This weekend the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra highlights the talents of two of the city's finest musicians - Violinist Tessa Petersen and 'cellist Heleen du Plessis. Audio
-
Great Album - Italian Love Songs by Dean Martin
15 Jul 2019Italian Love Songs by Dean Martin. Audio
-
VIDEO PREMIERE: Ed Waaka - ‘War on the Street’
15 Jul 2019The new video from Auckland singer-songwriter Ed Waaka was shot in his childhood neighbourhood of Belmont. ‘War on the Street’ is a reminder that “love and empathy are the way forward” in challenging…
Coming up
-
Girls Rock! Camp musicians perform their final showcase
15 Jul 2019Last week we told you about a school holiday programme for girls, trans and non-binary young people that's hoping to help produce future rock stars. Over the course of six days, the 42 young people… Video, Audio
-
Gareth FARR: The Bone Feeder
14 Jul 2019Opera by Gareth Farr and Renee Liang, The world première production by Auckland Arts Festival in association with New Zealand Opera at the Waterfront Theatre in Auckland, March 2017. Video, Audio
-
How the Easy Rider soundtrack changed film soundtracks forever
The 1969 film Easy Rider was a landmark counterculture film starring Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. Not only was the film hugely popular, its soundtrack was… Video, Audio
-
Julie London and the music of the sixties
It's the 50th anniversary of the moon landing: we take a trip on a spaceship with Julie London.
A tribute to the inventor of bossa nova, Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, who has died.
Video
-
Mediaworks kills the video star
New Zealand no longer has a local music TV channel after MediaWorks took Edge TV off the screen last week.
Five years after promising ‘radio with pictures on steroids’ it seems the effects have… Audio
-
Hymns on Sunday 14 July 2019
14 Jul 2019Hymns 'ancient and modern' today, from the early Greek hymn Hail, Gladdening Light to Michael Perry's Like a mighty river flowing. Audio
-
History through the Piano: The World of Mozart
John Drummond looks at famous pieces of piano music as windows into the world in which they were created. A composer cannot help but reflect the world he lives in, his understanding of life, his… Audio
-
Introducing: Young Lyre
13 Jul 2019Auckland five-piece Young Lyre introduce their new single 'Nobody Else'. Audio
Related Programmes
Related Collections
contact
See our contact page for information about how to get in touch with us.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive a weekly email with details of upcoming music programmes and features.