Having the NZSO (with conductor Hamish McKeich) as the featured orchestra on this album is a dream come true for me. Their professionalism, musicianship and world-class sound brought a depth and richness to the music that truly elevates it to another plane. I am so thankful to the musicians and management for helping me capture these works to the highest level I could imagine.

I hope that new listeners will find the music evocative: you will find some familiar tonal landmarks (major and minor chords are no strangers here), but within a rich textural environment with fresh harmonic colours. The NZSO's immersive orchestral canvases ‘pop out’ of the speakers — I hope you’ll feel wrapped in a warm ‘bath’ of sound!

Shayne Carter – ‘REforms’

Shayne Carter is one of New Zealand’s most iconic musicians, a rock god and author, famously known for his part in the post-punk music scene in Dunedin during the Flying Nun years. In REforms, the heft and glory of the NZSO collides with the Shayne Carter songbook - ten tracks ‘reformed’ in orchestral technicolour while maintaining the integrity of the originals.

With arrangements by Tane Upjohn Beatson and conducted by Hamish McKeich, REforms is a singular and purposeful artistic statement; an art record from a world-class orchestra and one of Aotearoa’s greatest singer/songwriters.

It was a dream rehousing some of my favourite tunes in the grandeur of the NZSO ! It's a piece of Art Music I'm inordinately proud of.

Anthony Ritchie – ‘Symphony No. 6’

Christchurch-born Anthony Ritchie is a New Zealand composer, academic and educator. As a freelance composer his works number over 200, including symphonies, operas, concertos, choral works, chamber music, solo works, commissions, as well as works for many performers such as Matthew Marshall, Michael Houstoun and Wilma Smith. In 2018 he became Professor of Composition at The University of Otago after 18 years of teaching composition, and in 2020 he accepted the position as head of the Otago School of Performing Arts.

Released by Rattle in August 2023, Symphony No. 6 is a meditation on love, death, and the afterlife. From the plaintive saxophone solo at the start to the mysterious flights of spirits in the third movement and the grieving of the finale, this symphony takes the listener on an emotional journey.

I can highly recommend the NZSO Recording Aotearoa scheme to any composer wanting to have their music recorded by the best orchestral musicians in the country. The experience of recording my sixth symphony was a joy.

Claire Cowan - 'Hansel & Gretel'

Claire Cowan is a leading New Zealand composer with diverse credits across concert, film, TV, and theatre. Her accomplishments include seven TV soundtracks, numerous "Best Original Score" awards, composer residencies, and two ballets commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Claire and the NZSO collaborated on 2020's independently released 'Hansel and Gretel.' The album won the 2021 Aotearoa Music Award for Best Classical Album, and it was the first ballet score ever commissioned from a female composer in the history of the Royal NZ Ballet.

The NZSO are an amazing bunch of individuals, both the performers and the behind the scenes team. The quality of the playing is world class and I'm incredibly happy with how the album turned out. I will always be grateful for the NZSO's support of my music which enabled this recording to happen.

Hollie Smith - 'Coming In From The Dark'

Hollie Smith is a New Zealand soul singer-songwriter based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Hollie and The NZSO collaborated on her 2021 album, 'Coming In From The Dark', recording 3 songs: ‘Coming In From The Dark’, ‘Lay Me Down’, and ‘YOU’.

The Phoenix Foundation - 'Friend Ship'

Formed in 1997, The Phoenix Foundation is an indie rock band from Wellington, New Zealand. The NZSO collaborated with The Phoenix Foundation on their 2018 album 'Friend Ship', recording two songs at the Michael Fowler Centre: ‘Miserable Meal’ and ‘Transit Of Venus.'

It’s insane that we've got the NZSO on our new album … we're so lucky.

-Samuel Flynn Scott, The Phoenix Foundation

Gareth Farr - 'Gareth Farr / Edward Elgar: Cello Concertos'

Gareth Farr is a New Zealand composer and percussionist. His album ‘Gareth Farr / Edward Elgar: Cello Concertos’ features the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Benjamin Northey, and was released worldwide on the UK label RUBICON.