Orchestra Sector Review

Last week, the New Zealand Professional Orchestra Sector Review Discussion Paper was released.

The NZSO has welcomed this review by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to clarify the roles and funding models for the orchestral sector, ensure that it is sustainable into the future, and that it provides New Zealanders with high quality orchestral services.

PHOTO CREDIT: Patrycja Szwarczynska

“The NZSO is at the pinnacle of orchestral achievement in New Zealand,” says Christopher Blake, NZSO Chief Executive. “We are committed to fulfilling our role as the country’s national orchestra, with professional musicians delivering world-class musical experiences across the country.”

The review acknowledges the important role of the NZSO in presenting a broad repertoire to audiences across New Zealand.  That aspect of its role was strikingly evident with the NZSO’s tremendous concert performances of Wagner’s epic opera, The Valkyrie, with standing ovations in Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland and positive reviews all round.

The NZ Herald said this about the NZSO’s sold-out performance last Saturday in Auckland: “Alas, superlatives are inadequate to do the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s Die Walküre justice… Pietari Inkinen sustained a sumptuous, perfectly paced orchestral flow, springing into passionate bloom for the young lovers, ushering in the Valkyries with whiplash thrills.”

“[Pietari] Inkinen’s was a vital contribution to a Wagner experience that was unforgettable and indelible.” ‘Standing ovation for NZSO’s Wagner’, The Dominion Post.

We want to thank you for your support of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which is very important to us.

Currently, we are taking time to thoroughly consider the Discussion Paper and create our submission for the New Zealand Professional Orchestra Sector Review.

We encourage you to do the same. Below we have highlighted our main points that you may find helpful when preparing your own submission.

We are advocating the maintenance of the NZSO at a level that will allow us to continue in our role as New Zealand’s international standard orchestra and to continue to present world-class performance experiences to audiences across New Zealand.

We should continue to be owned by the people of New Zealand. This enables us to fulfil the clear and relevant objectives and functions set out in our legislation as New Zealand’s national orchestra, into the future.

We advocate the strengthening of coordination, cooperation and planning across the orchestral sector through a process mandated by the funders. This will ensure that New Zealand has a national programme of complementary orchestral services, orchestral resources will be more effectively and efficiently used to the benefit of all New Zealanders, sustainability improved, roles clarified and diverse new audiences served.

Have Your Say

The Discussion Paper can be viewed here: www.mch.govt.nz/orchestra-review

The online feedback form can be accessed here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/orchestrasectorreview

You are not required to answer every question of the feedback form and are able to enter your general comments in field number 27.