Eva Radich
NZSM & Orpheus work together for the first time
NZSM Orchestra is working with the Orpheus Choir for the first time this weekend to give a performance of the full orchestral version of the Duruflé Requiem, a piece that has been an obsession for… Audio
Upbeat for Friday 25 May
A piano playing burglar, a successor for King’s Choir, and a collaboration between the New Zealand School of Music and Orpheus Choir make up today’s show.
Dancing with Mozart
Some of Mozart’s most stunning tunes have been used for ballet, thanks to a bevy of talented choreographers including Stephan Zeromski, for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Dancing with Mozart opens next… Audio
The opera that will have you laughing (and falling in love)
Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love opens next week in Auckland. The charming, funny opera is being performed by New Zealand Opera. Conductor and Musical Director Wyn Davies, and baritone Morgan Pearse… Audio
Upbeat for Thursday 24 May
The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage gives her first speech about the importance of art in NZ, we get the lowdown on The Elixir of Love and RNZB’s new show Dancing with Mozart exploring the…
Coming up
Composing music for Royal Weddings and New Zealand choirs
British composer Paul Mealor explains the intricacies of writing music for the Royals and talks about working with the Auckland Youth Choir as they perform his first Symphony Passiontide. Audio
Upbeat for Wednesday 23 May
Royal wedding music composer Paul Mealor, the New Yorker classical music critic Alex Ross, what music looks like when painted and another stunning violin concerto.
Review: Alex Ross with Stroma
Alex Ross, author and music critic for the New Yorker, is touring New Zealand with the group Stroma and singer Bianca Andrew for Chamber Music New Zealand. Peter Hoar has been in the crowd. Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 22 May
Cellist Sheku-Kanneh Mason is topping the pop and classical charts following his royal wedding performance, we start our Classics 101 series, Peter Hoar reviews Alex Ross with Stroma’s concert.
Upbeat for Monday 21 May
Tony Vercoe, the head of Kiwi-Pacific Records died last week aged 98. We listen to his last interview with Upbeat. We play some music from the royal wedding, celebrate Kiwi organist Thomas Gaynor and…
Composing music: but is it research?
Dunedin composer Associate Prof Anthony Ritchie has been promoted to the rank of Professor at the University of Otago; one of very few composers to have that title in New Zealand. Tonight he gives his… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 15 May
Composer and now Professor Anthony Ritchie discusses whether composing music constitutes research, we discover which Wes Anderson movie Beethoven’s 7th symphony appeared in, and we hear a Kronos…
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…
Opera 's Rising Stars
Pasquale Orchard and Declan Cudd are two of the soloists for Orchestra Wellington's Symphony in the Hutt next week: a popular concert for the Taita community. The pair talk about their addiction to… Audio
Upbeat for Tuesday 8 May
We discover that young people do like classical music, we meet two rising stars in opera, we mark NZ Sign Language week by exploring the intricacies of interpreting music into NZSL and we continue…
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…
Have sticks will travel
Drummer Chris O’Connor is one of the country’s busiest musicians. O’Connor shares some of his favourite music and tells Eva Radich about the joy he has as a live performer despite the frenetic… Audio
Upbeat for Wednesday 2 May
More Kiwi music to mark NZ Music Month; Tony Ryan reviews Behn Quartet & drummer, composer and educator Chris O’Connor picks his five faves.
Atamira founder becomes new leader
Jack Gray is the new Artistic Director of Atamira Dance, the country’s leading Maori contemporary dance company. Gray was one the company’s founders fifteen years ago but in the last few years has… Audio
Upbeat for Thursday 26 April
The latest bombshell from the Echo Music Awards, Tony Chen Lin’s debut album, Janet Jennings on her new song cycle for Jared Holt, and Jack Grey about taking steps in a fresh direction.