eNotes March 2026
The NZSO joins with star singer-songwriter Rob Ruha for TEIWA tomorrow!
The NZSO is a major part of the 2026 Aotearoa Festival of the Arts in Wellington.
Fresh from our performances in the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s bold reimagining of Macbeth, we now join Platinum‑selling, Silver Scroll‑winning artist Rob Ruha and kapa haka powerhouse TOA (Te Taumata O Apanui) for the unmissable TEIWA at the Michael Fowler Centre.
Ruha’s blend of mesmerising waiata and stadium‑sized anthems creates a powerful celebration of whakapapa, innovation, and the pulse of modern Aotearoa.
Next week, we perform in Gloria – A Triple Bill (12–14 March), uniting the New Zealand Dance Company and Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia to honour choreographer Douglas Wright. His iconic Gloria, set to Vivaldi’s radiant sacred score and performed live by the NZSO and Voices New Zealand, returns in a major cultural moment—joined by Raewyn Hill’s A Moving Portrait and Moss Patterson’s Lament.
Our Festival season concludes with Ara Hura (15 March), a tribute to influential choral conductor Karen Grylls. Voices New Zealand, taonga pūoro artist Horomona Horo, leading instrumentalists, and an NZSO chamber ensemble present Re‑imagined Mozart: Erebus by Robert Wiremu, alongside works by Leonie Holmes, Takerei Komene, and waiata by Ngāpō and Pimia Wehi. Ara Hura marks Grylls’ final appearance as Music Director.
Audiences across the country can also experience the NZSO in the RNZB’s Macbeth national tour, with upcoming performances in Auckland (4-7 March) Dunedin (13–14 March) and Christchurch (18–21 March).
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Dutch trombone master to shine with the NZSO this April
Prepare to be swept away by one of the world’s leading trombonists.
Internationally acclaimed Dutch virtuoso Jörgen van Rijen makes his long‑awaited New Zealand debut this April, performing the world premiere of Andrew Norman’s Slip: Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra with the NZSO in Wellington and Auckland.
Praised for his “dazzling virtuosity” (Dallas News) and “melodic grace” (The Times), van Rijen joins the NZSO for the world premiere of a thrilling new concerto written especially for him by celebrated American composer Andrew Norman.
Winner of the Netherlands’ prestigious Music Prize, van Rijen has performed with top orchestras around the globe and inspired new works from leading composers, including Grammy Award winners Tan Dun and Bryce Dessner, and Grammy nominee James MacMillan. He currently serves as Principal Trombone of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.
His love for the trombone began at the age of four. “I don’t know exactly why, because I was so young I can’t remember,” van Rijen has said. “My parents thought, ‘that will change… he’ll choose a flute or a clarinet.’ But I stuck with the trombone.”
Composer Andrew Norman—twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and hailed by the New York Times as “one of the most gifted and respected composers of his generation”—is known for pushing musical boundaries, drawing inspiration from classical traditions as well as film and video‑game sound worlds.
This collaboration promises an electrifying experience for audiences and a landmark moment in the NZSO’s 2026 season.
Norman will be in New Zealand for the premiere of Slip: Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra performed by van Rijen and the orchestra, led by acclaimed German conductor and NZSO Music Director Designate André de Ridder.
The NZSO’s Resonance concert also features two powerful and deeply moving works by music giants Maurice Ravel and Dmitri Shostakovich.
Ravel’s Pavane Pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess), inspired by a courtly Renaissance dance, reimagines with elegance and warmth the story of a long‑ago Spanish princess.
Such is the scale and immensity of Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony the NZSO will have 94 musicians on stage conducted by Maestro de Ridder. Written in 1943, the symphony is one of Shostakovich’s most powerful and tragic wartime works—and a deeply human response to suffering and resilience. Marked by a brooding intensity and emotional depth, it remains a clarion call for peace.
See superstar violinist with NZSO in concert hall or free livestream
With just three weeks to go, excitement is building for the Aotearoa debut of international violin sensation María Dueñas, performing with the NZSO in Wellington (26 March) and Christchurch (28 March).
Now all of New Zealand can experience the virtuoso live in concert via our free livestream of the Wellington performance!
Whether you’re in Auckland, Dunedin, Gisborne, or anywhere in between, you can be part of this extraordinary musical moment. Simply go to our streaming platform NZSO+ at 6.30pm on 26 March.
At only 23, Dueñas has become one of the most sought‑after violinists on the world stage, celebrated for her dazzling technique and magnetic presence. Since winning the prestigious Menuhin Competition at 18, she has performed at the Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall, and in 2025 was named Gramophone’s Young Artist of the Year.
The New York Times describes her as “a strong‑willed young artist with something to say, and the skill to say it brilliantly.”
In January, Dueñas made her much‑anticipated debut with the New York Philharmonic performing Beethoven’s beloved Violin Concerto — the same work she will bring to New Zealand audiences.
Joining her is Venezuelan conductor Rodolfo Barráez, also making his New Zealand debut. Barráez has rapidly become one of the most exciting conductors of his generation; his 2024 live recording with the Singapore Symphony reached No. 1 on Apple Music’s global classical chart.
The programme, From the New World, also features: Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, one of the most popular symphonies ever written — a sweeping, emotional journey inspired by the composer’s time in the United States and Aurora by acclaimed New Zealand composer Eve De Castro‑Robinson, a shimmering and mesmerising fanfare.
Don’t miss our first two NZSO Member pre-concert dinners of 2026 with Everybody Eats
We kick off our exciting Everybody Eats musical menu in Wellington with a From the New World pre-concert dinner on Thursday 26 March, 5pm and a Resonance pre-concert dinner on Thursday 9 April, 5pm.
Both will be at LTD, Level 1, 60 Dixon Street – just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Michael Fowler Centre.
Everybody Eats and the NZSO have teamed up to bring NZSO Members an exclusive pre-dining experience before our Thursday night concerts.
Everybody Eats is a pioneering organisation that uses food that would otherwise be destined for landfill to create delicious and affordable meals.
For just $35 per person, Everybody Eats will craft a three-course menu themed with that evening’s concert.
These events always sell out, so don’t miss out! Please note, the venue is on level 1 and is only accessible by stairs.
The NZSO’s Schools’ Appeal—donate now!
Thanks to the generosity of individuals and trusts, 78% of the NZSO’s nationwide education and community programmes are made possible.
Last year alone, donor support enabled us to deliver 184 Creative Music Workshops for 4,308 children, visit 67 schools, and give 4,119 students their first-ever symphonic experience in a concert hall.
The impact from our donor community is extraordinary — and with more support, we can reach even more young people. A gift of any amount helps – please consider donating today.
In 2026, we will continue to share the transformational power of orchestral music with as many children as possible through a range of ground-breaking initiatives which are proven to inspire young minds, build creative outlets for self-expression, develop cognitive skills and invite new audiences to experience the joy of symphonic music.
Explore the essence of the Loire Valley with Maison Vauron
Discover the heart of the Loire Valley with Maison Vauron’s latest curated packs, La Trilogie du Chenin and Trio de Cabernet Franc, celebrating the region’s defining varietals. A wonderful introduction to the region and its varietals for those less familiar with Loire wines. Equally, for the connoisseur, they make excellent additions to any cellar — explore and shop the collection now at Maison Vauron.
Q&A: Lisa Boyes on 40 years with the NZSO
From feeling “excited, terrified, inspired and in awe” in her first seasons, to becoming a pillar of the viola section, Lisa Boyes has dedicated four decades to the orchestra.
For Lisa, the best thing about orchestral life is simple: making audiences feel something, without saying a word.
Do you remember your very first NZSO concert? What stands out now?
I can't really remember my first ever NZSO concert (it was 40 years ago!) but I remember how it felt for those first couple of years. I was excited, terrified, inspired, in awe, and pretty chuffed! I was suddenly sitting next to and playing with the people I had watched for years from the audience. I felt very small, a little of the 'imposter syndrome' I suppose, but they made me feel so welcome and helped give me the confidence that I really had won the job and I really was now a full-time member of the NZSO. Wow! I also learnt a huge amount from them, as every orchestra needs a good mix of experience and new talent.
Which repertoire never gets old for you?
Mozart—technically not the hardest, but stylistically and musically always a challenge! Beethoven—the most perfect orchestration and always a joy to play. Shostakovich—it somehow rips my heart out every time I play it (and what a life he had—Russia during the early 20th Century). Prokofiev—such wonderful, unexpected tonalities and chord progressions.
What has been a favourite performance, tour or moment with the NZSO?
My most memorable concert ever was playing in the Teatro de la Maestranza in Spain during the Seville Expo 1992. We performed under Dr Franz Paul Decker, our Chief Conductor, and with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing. The programme was Douglas Lilburn’s Aotearoa Overture, El Amor Brujo—Manuel de Falla, Exsultate Jubilate—Mozart, Der Rosenkavalier Suite by Richard Strauss and finishing with his Four Last Songs. It was an extraordinary experience to be representing NZ as part of the Expo, and my first time performing with Dame Kiri. At the end of the concert there was a 10-minute standing ovation after which Dame Kiri sang Pōkarekare Ana. There was not a dry Kiwi eye in the hall!
Best thing about orchestral life?
I think the best thing about orchestral life must be the ability to play to an audience and to make them feel something. Whether it is the sheer joy of music, sorrow for a lost loved one, pride in our country and what we can achieve, or just a moment to forget what's going on outside the concert hall. It is a privilege every day to be able to communicate to strangers like this without saying a word. I also love doing a job that is not all about money or politics. Especially as the world these days seems to be going mad! I must say we also have a lot of fun. Some of my colleagues I have known for over 40 years and how lucky are we to share this wonderful life together, both here in Wellington and on the road?
What does reaching this milestone mean to you?
I can't really believe it has been 40 years. Some days it feels only about 10 and other it feels like 90! But I love being part of this wonderful orchestra. I love the people, the dedication and talent both on and off the stage. I still have another few years before I reach retirement age, I am still learning new things—every player you work with brings a different idea, a new perspective, a different fingering I hadn't thought of. Every day is still an adventure, and whilst my knees and back hold out I will continue to play in this wonderful orchestra!
Author, archivist and NZSO trailblazer
Joy Tonks 11 July 1939–16 January 2026
Joy Tonks is most widely known as the author of four landmark books published between 1986 and 2011: The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: The First Forty Years; Bravo! The NZSO at 50; Viva Malvina! The Lives of Dame Malvina Major and The NZSO National Youth Orchestra: Fifty Years and Beyond.
Each of these meticulously written, researched, and illustrated volumes were groundbreaking histories of the NZSO, the National Youth Orchestra, and the New Zealand opera legend.
For any New Zealand author to have four history books published in their lifetime is a significant accomplishment. However, Joy’s achievements went far beyond her books. Her initiatives over nearly 40 years with the orchestra have had a lasting impact, as did her passion outside the NZSO for writing and supporting other authors.
Her contribution to the NZSO was so significant that in 1998 she was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to the orchestra.
From the moment Joy joined the NZSO in 1975 as its first Personnel Officer (and later Personnel Manager), she was a trailblazer.
In addition to her many duties in personnel, Joy edited and wrote a newsletter for a new NZSO Supporters’ Club, which she organised. By 1980 the newsletter had become Concert Pitch—the orchestra’s first professional magazine, which she wrote and edited for seven years. Much of her work on the magazine was done after hours.
Spurred by the NZSO’s impending 40th anniversary in 1986 and advice from a publisher who told her to “look for a gap in the market”, Joy spent her evenings and weekends writing The First Forty Years. It was more of a challenge than she anticipated, in part because the NZSO had moved premises in Wellington several times since its founding in 1946, and old files and photographs had been lost.
“I had assumed that all the files I would need would be at my fingertips, easily accessible. In fact, many records had disappeared as the orchestra had moved homes many times over the years,” she said.
“My detective work took me to the basements of Bowen State Building—the late Broadcasting House—into dingy, unlit rooms where the contents were covered in thick dust. I returned with a torch and found publicity photos and early orchestral personnel files.”
Joy described her first book as a baptism by fire. In preparation for writing the 50th anniversary sequel, she gave herself more time by retiring from her personnel role to become the NZSO’s first part-time historian and archivist. But she faced new challenges to keep her second book up to date as the NZSO underwent personnel changes, new partnerships, funding uncertainty and its first cancelled tour due to bad weather and industrial action by airline employees.
The NZSO National Youth Orchestra: Fifty Years and Beyond, Joy’s last published book, is a fascinating and richly detailed history. It had its own unique challenges, not least the varied experiences of former Youth Orchestra players. It is a testament to Joy’s skill as a writer and interviewer—along with her care and compassion—that many former members opened up to her.
Born Beverley Joy Butterworth in Wellington, Joy first encountered the NZSO at the age of 17 when she was a New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) cadet, assisting a pay clerk to deliver wages to the orchestra during a rehearsal.
After marrying Ralph Henry Tonks, the couple spent nearly four years overseas from 1961, during which Joy worked in the publications section of the BBC in London, including the weekly Radio Times magazine, before they returned home by travelling overland through the Middle East, India and Australia. She returned to the NZBC while also studying English literature part-time at Victoria University, raising a family, and pursuing her passion for writing, which included several published and broadcast short stories.
When Joy applied for the new position at the NZSO, her broadcasting colleagues were horrified. They told her she’d regret it because they’d heard the players were “high maintenance.”
“I fell in love with the orchestra on the first day,” Joy said.
The rest—as reflected in her books, still read and cited to this day—is history.
Float Well: the perfect immersive experience
As part of the NZSO’s partnership with Float Well in Wellington, NZSO season ticket holders receive 50% off one visit (Single Float, Double Float, or Contrast Therapy).
An immersive reset for body and mind, Float Therapy and Contrast Therapy are the perfect way to unwind after an evening at the symphony or recharge between concerts.
Use code NZSO when booking.
Valid until 31 December 2026. Excludes packages, memberships, and other promotions.