Great conductor Nigel Weeks has selected the program for 'The World's Most Beautiful Melodies' It is sure to be an audience favourite.

Programme:
Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Strauss
Orpheus in the Underworld - Offenbach
'Finale' from William Tell Overture - Rossini
Carmen Suite No. 1 - Bizet
Fantasia on Greensleeves - Vaugham Williams
Spartacus Ballet Suite: Andagio of Spartacus - Khatchaturian
Skater's Waltz - Strauss
Gabriel's oboe - Morricone
New World Symphony - Dvorak

"There's a big, vivacious, steel-belt of a sound Imani gets when playing at the top of its lungs that is most appealing" - Peter Dobrin, The Philadelphia Inquirer

The season concludes with fun, fire and flair thanks to the Imani Winds. Their mission is to use collaboration, outreach, and new commissions to bridge diverse musical tradition, including America, Latin American, and Africa.

Celebrated for the 'sultry sophistication' of their performances, Imani Winds are truly an ensemble for our time: they are young, outstandingly talented musicians whose reputation for musical innovation is growing all over the world.

Their unique programme reflects their commitment to the traditional and the new: Rimsky-Korsakov, Piazzolla and Ravel are surrounded by the flamboyant, genre-disrupting and entertaining music by less well-known Latin composers. And they'll be presenting a new work by our very own Natalie Hunt.

Beethoven's ten Sonatas for Violin and Piano form a transcendent, transformative monument of the duo sonata repertoire: they present a formidable, unique challenge to violinists and pianists.

Bella Hristova is known for the power and lyrical beauty of her sound, a violinist perfectly suited to the huge technical and emotional demands of Beethoven's Sonatas. Michael Houstoun's recent performances of Beethoven's complete Piano Sonatas met with huge acclaim for fluency and appreciation of Beethoven's wit, as well as the moments of profound desolation.

Hristova and Houstoun's collaboration in our Beethoven Mini-Festivals will be a landmark musical event of 2017.

Programme:
Sonata No. 3 in E-flat Major, op 12, no. 3
Sonata No. 8 in G Major, op 30, no. 3
Sonata No. 2 in A Major, op. 12, no. 2
Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, op 30, no. 2

"You could see the joy in the performers' faces and movements as much as you could hear it in the playing." - The New York Times

Juilliard415 represent the best-of-the-best early-music ensemble from the Julliard School, with a reputation for combining youthful energy with poise, precision, and a luminous sound. For this New Zealand tour, J415 join forces with maestro Masaaki Suzuki, hugely esteemed for his performances and recordings of Bach.

The programme concentrates on Bach and Handel, the giants of the baroque era. It will give audiences a tantalising taste of Bach's work, and guarantees an evening of luminous, vital performances.

There will be a prelude event before the concert. Check http://www.chambermusic.co.nz for more updates.

Renowned for her interpretations of French piano repertoire - full of ‘evanescent colours and shimmering, elusive light’ - British pianist Kathryn Stott will perform recitals in New Plymouth and Napier, before joining the New Zealand String Quartet for solo and chamber music.

Debussy’s L'Isle joyeuse - inspired by Watteau’s enigmatic painting L’Embarquement pour Cythère - is at the centre of Kathryn’s recitals, alongside Dutilleux’s Piano Sonata: this is a rare opportunity to hear these ravishing works programmed together.

A Member of NZSQ will lead a discussion with Kathryn Stott at 4:15pm
- free entry -

Teapot Summer School presents its 17th concert ' Singing for Joy' at Old St. John's Nelson on Sunday 22 January at 2pm. Ben Parry, director of The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, is the conductor.

The program includes Requiem by Faure, the mood being one of peacefulness and serenity. Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten, who movingly encapsulates the poem's half-mad and delightfully religious spirit. Seven Goodly Reasons to Sing by Ben Parry, " and if, at last, your voice take wing, this noisy world may hear the song you sing".

Teapot Summer School has over its 17 years attracted singers from all over NZ  who come together for a week of an intensive singing course directed by highly respected overseas conductors, including Sir David Willcocks, Brian Kay and Ebbe Munk.

The Nelson Civic Choir, directed by Chris Lukies, offers you Navidad Nuestra - a catchy pre-Christmas programme of music with a Hispanic American flavour.

Two pieces by Ariel Ramirez - Navidad Nuestra and Misa Criola - use Hispanic rhythms and traditions to present the Nativity and the Mass in joyful mood. John Leavitt's Missa Festiva matches the festive atmosphere, from a North American perspective.

Piano, guitar, double bass and percussion accompaniment.
Solos are sung by Manase Latu (tenor) and Matt Landreth (bass).
The Duo Jackson complete the programme with guitar solos and duets.

This is the choir's last performance before they head off to New York to sing at Carnegie Hall: come along and wish them bon voyage!

Grands Pas de Deux - Romance - Drama

Artistic Director Louise Hawke presents "Love Tchaikovsky"
An original ballet production.

Previous shows have been reviewed in the Nelson Mail as "prestigious annual ballet events" and as "a magical and rare event".

The intimate story of a fantastic friendship. All our favourite classical ballet Tchaikovsky moments!

Tchaikovsky as you have never seen him! This original ballet production reveals his anguish and his artistry told in the composer's own words. The haunting themes for Swan Lake were composed for his nieces at play. His marriage provided a comical disaster. A mysterious Baroness was his devoted sponsor. They never met. Their personal letters reveal a story.

Fabulous music and bravura Grads Pas de Deux.

Another magical experience for all your family to enjoy, presented by The Up-Close and Classical Company and Academy of Ballet Arts.

Guest stars from the Royal NZ Ballet will perform all our favourite Pas de Deux.

Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Marinksy Pas de Deux.

Joseph Skelton, Katie Hurst-Saxton, Leonora Voigtlander, Katherine Grange, Adrian Harper.

Sold out performances in 2014-2015! Two shows only on sale this year.
Performances at the newly re-opened Suter Theatre.

Join the Royal Over-Seas League and Save the Children for an evening of exceptional chamber music featuring the international Dolmen Ensemble*. These exciting young musicians, all prize winners of the Royal Over-Seas League music competitions, will perform some of the world's finest chamber works. Thanks to generous local sponsors and volunteers all proceeds from this concert will go to support the work of Save the Children.

Programme:
Johannes Brahms - Clarinet trio Op.14
Lewis Coenen-Rowe - More or Less from Clarinet Trio
Max Bruch - Movements 2 and 7 from Eight Pieces Op.83
Vincent D'Indy - Clarinet Trio in Bflat Op.29

* Dolmen Ensemble: Carson Becke, piano (Canada), Som Howie, clarinet (Australia), Edward King, cello (New Zealand).

Argentinian Golijov’s poignant marimba/cello duo, written as a requiem for a friend, and young American composer Andy Akiho's thrilling LigNEous surround Brahms' masterful clarinet quintet, which James Campbell has played with illustrious groups such as the Guaneri, Vermeer, Allegri and Amadeus Quartets. And what better way to celebrate the end of the 2017 festival than with our 3 string quartets taking the stage together for Dvorak's cheerful, melody-filled Serenade for Strings.

Goldner Quartet, New Zealand String Quartet, the Troubadours, Ian Rosenbaum (marimba), James Campbell (clarinet), Matthew Barley (cello), Joan Perarnau Garriga (double Bass)

Akiho - LigNEous
Brahms - Clarinet quintet
Golijov - Duo for marimba and cello
Dvorak - Serenade in E for Strings op. 22