A night of Baroque splendour with Timeless Beauty in March   

The NZSO launches its 2025 Season with an eight-date tour in March, featuring an exquisite selection of Baroque masterpieces guaranteed to thrill classical music lovers and newcomers alike.

Audiences in Kāpiti, Wellington, Wairarapa, Palmerston North, Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua, Hamilton and Tauranga will be captivated with the elegance and grandeur of music by Baroque giants George Frideric Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann, along with renowned English Baroque composer Matthew Locke.

The NZSO ensemble, featuring 26 of Aotearoa New Zealand’s finest musicians, will be led by the orchestra’s Concertmaster and passionate Baroque music violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen.

Timeless Beauty: Handel & Telemann treats audiences to two astonishing works by Handel: his majestic and serene Overture and Symphonia from Occasional Oratorio and the sublime Alcina Suite from his opera.

Locke’s The Tempest Suite, inspired by Shakespeare’s play, weaves themes of magic, illusion, and transformation.

NZSO Trumpets Michael Kirgan, David Johnson and Mark Carter as soloists alongside Timpanist Laurence Reese, will also come into their own for a performance of Telemann’s magnificent Concerto for 3 Trumpets and Timpani.

“I’m very excited to be part of the Telemann concerto, as it will be the first time I have played it,” says Reese.

“The Baroque era was when the timpani began to be utilised more and in diverse ways. I also get to play timpani for Handel’s Occasional Oratorio. What I like about the Telemann is that the timpani are a little bit more to the fore while this exhilarating music is propelled by Michael, David and Mark’s superb trumpet playing. Audiences will love it.”

Throughout the tour Reese will play on historically accurate timpani drums. The drumhead is made of goat skin and Reese uses wooden mallets, just like his 18th-century counterpart did when the piece was first performed in 1716.

“This is the same sound that Telemann would have heard. It means 21st-century listeners get to enjoy a range of colour and tones genuinely like what their 18th-century audiences experienced.”

Tickets start from just $36 for NZSO Members

Every picture tells a story in Mussorgsky’s masterpiece

Prepare to be captivated by an evening of extraordinary music that paints vivid pictures through sound.

NZSO Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor Gemma New’s first concert in 2025 is Pictures at an Exhibition in Wellington and Christchurch.

Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition brings to life the paintings of Viktor Hartmann, with the movements musically describing each artwork in exquisite detail.

Similarly, Gareth Farr’s The Invocation of the Sea from his acclaimed From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs, vividly captures the sounds and instruments of the Pacific, transporting listeners to the heart of the ocean.

We are also thrilled to welcome Emily Beynon to our shores. As the Principal Flute of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and hailed as one of the top five flautists in the world by Classic FM, Beynon premieres a new work by French composer Guillaume Connesson. The composer, one of the most widely performed French composers in the world, will be in New Zealand for the premiere.

Beynon’s performance is sure to dazzle with its “virtuosity and rich feeling” (Gramophone).

Join us for a night where music and imagery intertwine to create an unforgettable experience. We look forward to sharing this magical evening with you.

Enjoy your orchestra in 2025 as an NZSO Member

With just a few weeks before our first performances, there’s no better time to become an NZSO Member, and enjoy discounts and more throughout 2025.

Say goodbye to booking fees for just $10 (lite) or $30 (full) for an annual membership.

As an NZSO Member, you’ll enjoy no hidden charges and have immediate access to discounted tickets, plus a range of exclusive benefits, including member-only events.

With ticket prices starting at just $22, there’s no better way to experience your national orchestra.

Join the Party with a gift to the NZSO of $250

The NZSO is grateful to hospitality partners Te Kairanga Wines, Maison Vauron and Pegasus Bay which make our NZSO donor events such special occasions.

A gift to the NZSO starting from $250 unlocks invitations to VIP pre-concert hospitality in our major centres, special events with NZSO musicians and unforgettable behind-the-scenes opportunities at exclusive rehearsal events.

Rising star to conduct Firebird concerts

Acclaimed Finnish conductor Emilia Hoving has stepped in to replace Joana Carneiro for our Firebird: Ravel & Stravinsky concerts in July. The performances in Wellington (17 July) and Christchurch (19 July) will be a spectacular showcase of musical talent and storytelling.

Joining us for this extraordinary event is the acclaimed Spanish pianist Javier Perianes, praised for his ability to “make the piano sing and glitter with alert, polished brilliance” (Sydney Morning Herald). Javier will perform two virtuoso masterworks: Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, which explores both Ravel’s Spanish Basque roots and the enlivening rhythms of jazz, and Nights in the Gardens of Spain, de Falla’s dramatic and seductive portrait of the nation’s distinct Andalusia region.

Stravinsky’s The Firebird will transport you to the magical world of Russian myth, while Kiwi composer John Ritchie’s Papanui Road Concert Overture brings us back to the vibrant hustle of 1950s Christchurch, complete with the clanging tramcar bell.

Emilia, winner of the Finnish critics’ prize 2021 for the Best Newcomer in the Arts, is celebrated for her “highly precise, refined and inventive conducting technique that combines airy breathability with power” (Turku Sanomat).

Join us for a night to remember!

Our Conducting Fellowship Programme: a new year and fresh faces

We are thrilled to announce that the NZSO received a record number of applications for our 2025 Conducting Fellowship Programme, with over 40 aspiring conductors applying to join!

Eight young conductors from across Aotearoa New Zealand have been selected to participate this year. This talented group includes a mix of newcomers and returning participants, including four Pasifika conductors. Additionally, we have offered two positions to interns.

For the third consecutive year, the Conducting Fellowship Programme will enable Aotearoa-based Pasifika conductors to undertake conducting training with the NZSO. This initiative is generously funded by the Tindall Foundation, with support from Creative New Zealand through its Pacific Arts Strategy.

The NZSO is committed to fostering and growing a pool of talented young conductors reflecting the diverse communities that call this country home.

This year, we have introduced a new framework to better support all levels of participants. The conductors will be grouped into three categories: Fellows, Associate Fellows, and Interns. Participants will engage in three residency modules, each lasting five days and spread throughout the year. The first runs 23-27 February.

Our Conducting Fellows also have the chance to pursue further conducting opportunities with several performing arts organisations.

To learn more about each of our 2025 conductors, click on link below.

Inspire a love of symphonic music in schools across New Zealand

Do you have children or grandchildren aged 5-12 in school? Help connect their schools with the magic of the NZSO Creative Music Workshops. For just $5 per student, we offer workshops for all year groups and abilities, bringing dynamic and interactive music experiences to classrooms anywhere in Aotearoa.

From retelling beloved fairytales and exploring symphonic masterpieces to crafting original songs on the spot, these workshops ignite creativity and curiosity in tamariki.

Here’s what Tokoroa North School had to say:

We thoroughly enjoyed our session. We have so many ideas to take back to our teachers to try in their own classes. The tamariki had a blast—fantastic!

Encourage your local school to book a workshop with our NZSO Animateur Chris Lam Sam today and help inspire the next generation of music lovers!