Music
Anapela Polata’ivao and Stacey Leilua: From Tinā to opera
Anapela Polata’ivao and Stacey Leilua bring a Kiwi Samoan perspective to directing the action in NZ Opera's latest production, Jonathan Dove's "The Monster in the Maze".
Video, Audio
The right note: An orchestra nurturing rural youth
Cellist Caitlin Morris says the Wairarapa Youth Orchestra nurtures a new generation of musicians and gives rural youth an important social outlet.
Jay Epae, Aotearoa's secret Scandinavian star
In 1961, a singer from a small Taranaki town had a No.1 hit in Sweden with a te reo song, but few people in Aotearoa heard the record at the time.
Hymns on Sunday, 7 September 2025
The Season of Creation has begun, and we’re celebrating with hymns including How great thou art, For the beauty of the earth, and Shirley Murray’s Touch the earth lightly. Audio
Nashville Babylon: 6 September 2025
On this week's Nashville Babylon there's classic reggae from Burning Spear and Culture, blues courtesy of Howlin' Wolf, gospel from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a track from Tami Neilson's latest album plus… Audio
Noir
A new album by Melbourne musicians Michelle Nicolle and Paul Grabowsky combines stunning musicianship with a melancholy vibe. Audio
Sunset Afternoon
Charlie Haden's Quartet West plays a tune by NZ pianist Alan Broadbent; star vocalists Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan feature; and Brad Mehldau plays Radiohead. Audio
Out Lately with Finn Johansson
Featuring new music from Varda, Blood Orange and Skepta & Fred Again... Audio
Mika Cornelius: turning mushrooms into music
Universal Veil is a new work by composer and sound designer Mika Cornelius. It's inspired by the world of fungi and their life cycles. Video, Audio
Music 101: Kara Rickard is in studio
Kara Rickard host of Music 101 talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to… Audio
NZ Live Bret McKenzie
It's NZ Live time, our weekly live performance slot here on Afternoons, we're very excited to have Bret McKenzie and his band here in studio B Bret is of course one half of the musical comedy duo… Audio
New music with Grant Smithies
A new double album has just touched down from lauded Californian indie-fold songwriter Cass McCombs. We'll hear two key tracks from that today, followed by new work from Brooklyn singer/ rapper/… Audio
Duo Enharmonics plays Mendelssohn
Pianists Beth Chen and Nicole Chao (Duo Enharmonics) with be performing a two-piano concerto by Felix Mendelssohn this weekend, with the Wairua Sinfonietta. Audio
IVY & Mila Vandelle
We speak with Dunedin band IVY about all things being insanely cool indie rockers. We're lucky to have Mila Vandelle visit for one of her first ever interviews after her debut release. Audio
In celebration of the short song
Glenn Fosbraey from the University of Winchester joins us to share some of his favourite songs under one minute. Audio
CANZ Composer Workshop 2025
Jessie Leov is one of the organisers of the 2025 CANZ Composer Workshop. She talks with RNZ Concert's David Morriss about what the workshop involves, and her own experience of taking part. Audio
An instrument so unusual, the NZSO made its own
Mahler's Sixth Symphony asks for a hammer that is designed in such a way as to create a dull thump, like fate coming down on top of your head.
Music Critic: Rachel Ashby
Our music critic Rachel Ashby is here to share the latest offerings from Georgia Knight and Pickledarling. Audio
92wrld & Salem Mahia
We have chats with both 92wrld and Salem Mahia and have some team debates around the Polish CEO who in the viral clip online took a tennis players gifted hat out of the hands of a child Audio
Going solo: Tom Scott
Award winning singer, rapper and songwriter, Tom Scott has a new album coming out - his first solo effort after releases with Home Brew and Avantdale Bowling Club. Audio
