Programme

Jack Bewley Pray for the wanderer (World Premiere)
Britten Four Sea Interludes From Peter Grimes
Michael-Thomas Foumai Kealaikahiki Suite (NZ Premiere)
Debussy La Mer

In 2026, the NZSO National Youth Orchestra brings together Aotearoa New Zealand’s best young musicians to perform a concert in celebration of the ocean—its beauty, its power, and its enduring influence on the human spirit. The programme includes Debussy’s La Mer, Britten’s evocative Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, a new commission by the 2026 NYO Composer-in-Residence Jack Bewley and the New Zealand premiere of Michael‑Thomas Foumai’s Kealaikahiki Suite—a work that speaks directly to our Pacific heritage and relationship with the sea. 

We are delighted to be aligning the 2026 National Youth Orchestra with WWF‑New Zealand’s 50th Anniversary because music can amplify the call to protect our oceans, and environmental stewardship is enriched and inspired when it is expressed and appreciated through art. 

When young musicians perform these works, they showcase their extraordinary talent, and bring together views from the past and present for us all to consider how we interact with our planet in the future. 

NZSO Members receive two complimentary tickets to the NYO concert of their choice.