Kiwis take home top board game award
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RNZ News
22 minutes ago
- RNZ News
From Siberia to the South Pacific
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Novosibirsk Opera House; Lev Sivkov's home town. Photo: Alexander Klink If Lev Sivkov wasn't a musician, maybe he'd be a farmer. The Siberian-born cellist is in New Zealand to play the solo role in Britten's Cello Symphony with Orchestra Wellington , along with making chamber music as one third of the Levansa Trio. Growing up in Siberia gave him a deep appreciation of nature, something he also enjoys when he comes to New Zealand. It's Sivkov's third visit to Aotearoa. His friendship with fellow Levansa players (New Zealand-based violinist Andrew Beer and pianist Sarah Watkins) has made him more than an occasional fixture in the NZ chamber music scene. The Levansa Trio already has one album out on the Atoll label and there are plans to record another during the cellist's current trip. Levansa Trio: Andrew Beer (vln), Sarah Watkins (pno), Lev Sivkov (cello), Photo: Supplied Wellington Chamber Music Trust Sivkov spoke with RNZ Concert ahead of his gig with Orchestra Wellington, and part-way through his tour with the Levansa Trio. He certainly likes to mix things up. A few weeks back he was leading the cello section of the orchestra of Opernhaus Zürich in a concert performance of Brahms' 4th Symphony. Sivkov met the New Zealand members of the Levansa Trio through an ex-pat Kiwi currently living in Switzerland. This year's tour has already taken the ensemble to Hamilton, and there are also has concerts in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Wairarapa. Sivkov describes Britten's Cello Symphony, which he wrote for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, as a "very intellectual" work, but one which rewards close listening. "It's an old joke about Russian literature: there are books where the reader suffers, there are books where the writer suffers, but when both reader and writer suffer - that is the great book of Russian literature." He suspects Britten had that sense of Russian depth when he wrote the Cello Symphony. Sivkov still has a soft spot for the "tough" old-school Russian teachers of his youth, although he wouldn't necessarily teach his own students that way. Maybe something between the old Russian approach and the more liberal ways of Western Europe. Does he miss Russia? Yes, although if he went back to Novosibirsk he probably wouldn't work as a full-time cellist, maybe he'd take up farming - although he's not exactly sure what sort of farmer he would be. Funnily enough, the last concert of his current NZ tour with the Levansa Trio will be on an apple orchard in Wairarapa. "Perhaps I can discuss farming options when I am there," he jokes. RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump and cellist Lev Sivkov. Photo: RNZ
Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Canterbury board game creator scores big win
Carl de Visser and his board game Endeavor: Deep Sea, which recently won the Kennerspiel des Jahres award in Germany. PHOTO: OLIVIA JUDD A Cheviot man has gone global with his board game creation, taking out the highest honour in the world of tabletop gaming. Carl de Visser has won the 2025 Kennerspiel des Jahres— the world's most prestigious award in the strategy board game industry, for his cocreation Endeavor: Deep Sea. The award, presented annually in Berlin, Germany, recognises excellence in complex board game design. Carl and his co-creator Jarratt Gray spent a year and a half designing the under-the-sea themed board game, which builds on the foundations of an earlier game created by the pair in 2009, called Endeavor, which Carl says is more colonial themed. ''We basically re-did it from scratch with some of the same mechanics,'' says Carl. ''This one you're leading an ocean institute and you go out and explore the sea, you start on the surface and go deeper and deeper underwater.'' In the game, players build a team to form their institute gaining access to new actions and challenges as they explore five different ocean depths. Wining the award was a full circle moment for Carl, who has followed the Kennerspiel for years, and even makes an effort to purchase the winning game each year. The awards are paid attention to worldwide, and has many global entries, however to be eligible to enter the awards, your game has to be for sale in Germany. Endeavor: Deep Sea is played internationally, and Carl says is most popular in Germany and the United States. ''This kind of board game is taken a bit more seriously over in Germany— I arrived in Berlin and went to a pharmacy, and they had a board game section in the pharmacy.'' Carl says winning the award has seen a huge spike in sales for the game. Next, Carl and his co-creator Jarratt are working on an expansion to the game, called Endeavor Deep Sea: Uncharted Waters, which Carl hopes will be released by the end of next year. Carl's game is able to be purchased online.
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- RNZ News
Gumboot Friday gets green light for second year of funding
Gumboot Friday has had a green light for its second year of funding but has had its targets increased after meeting the minimum numbers set for its first year. Last year the process by which the charity was awarded 24 million dollars funding came under scrutiny by the auditor-general who said the way the decision came about was "unusual and inconsistent". But mental health Minister Matt Doocey has backed the charity saying it's helping thousands of young people get access to support faster. Founder of Gumboot Friday Mike King, spoke to Melissa Chan-Green. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
