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RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Singing for a living
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Oliver Sewell at St. Andrew's on The Terrace Photo: Screengrab by SOUNZ Singing. It's nice work if you can get it, and you can get it if you're talented and determined enough. Oliver Sewell is a principal artist at Theater Bremen in Germany. That means he has to sing a lot of opera. It's full time work, it's demanding work, but he loves it. Sewell is back in New Zealand during one of the breaks in his work in Bremen to sing Alfredo, the lead tenor role in the Auckland Philharmonia's semi-staged production of Verdi's opera La Traviata . The Christchurch-raised tenor spoke with RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump ahead of the performance early next month. They talked about his musical life in Bremen (a city a little smaller in size but with slightly more people than his home town), where he's been based since 2021. The classical music life is pretty good too. Photo: Stefan Sch89 He really appreciates the variety of opera he gets to sing, and the fact he doesn't have to travel all around Europe to sing it. Sewell's interest in singing developed as a child. "I think I was always humming a tune... I never really thought about it until I got to University and started thinking about what I would do." It was while he was at Canterbury University that he got into the Christchurch Cathedral Choir as a tenor. There he met the conductor Brian Law, who encouraged his talent and gave Sewell opportunities to perform that "maybe we shouldn't have had", singing with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Paid gigs as well, which wasn't lost on the young man - "doing something I'd always done for fun, and then getting some money for it." Translated to English, La Traviata means "The Fallen Woman". Is Violetta (the female lead, sung by Romanian soprano Luiza Fatyol) a fallen woman, or a free spirit? That's up to the singer playing the role to decide. And what sort of a man is Alfredo, when played by Oliver Sewell? Sewell says he needs to wait to meet his opposite number before deciding how to respond to her, but his Alfredo is certainly passionate, and possibly a little naive. One thing we can say for sure: when Oliver Sewell plays Alfredo, he'll sound fantastic.
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
David Squire's farewell NZ Youth Choir tour
David Squire directing the NZ Youth Choir at the Sydney Opera House in December 2022. Photo: Robert Catto Photography When David Squire joined New Zealand's National Youth Choir as a singer, it never occurred to him he might one day direct it. But direct it he has, for 15 years. That time, which has included some "really amazing experiences", is coming to an end, as Squire is stepping down as the New Zealand Youth Choir 's music director once it has completed its latest overseas tour to Singapore, Denmark and the UK. Squire and choir tenor Ivan Zhang joined RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump ahead of the choir's departure. This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. David Squire and the New Zealand Youth Choir Photo: Jo Highlights of the tour will include taking part in the European Choir Games in Denmark before representing New Zealand at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales. The latter is a celebration of and competition for performing arts groups from around the world. It's not the first time the Youth Choir has taken part in the Eisteddfod, which all happens in a giant tent in a field not far from the small north Wales town of Llangollen. The last time Squire took the choir there, everyone was sweltering in a heatwave (and there's not much in the way of air conditioning inside the tent). The year before, it rained and the venue turned into a swamp. Not that those extremes put the musicians off. New Zealand Youth Choir 2025 member Ivan Zhang Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Youth Choir The tour also marks the end of Ivan Zhang's current stint with the choir. As well as studying music, Zhang is also reading law at Auckland University. He was thinking law would be his longer term career choice, but he is beginning to wonder if music is where his heart is. Luckily, he's young enough to audition for another stint with the NZ Youth Choir. As for Squire, he's not sure what his longer term plans will be. His focus is on the Youth Choir's tour, and once that's over, taking part in the Big Sing where Euphony and Voicemale - two Auckland secondary school choirs he directs - have made it through to the Finale in Dunedin this August.
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Moment of Calm: Steam, wind and (just a little) speed.
If sounds from the past calm you down, maybe this is the tonic. Photo: Bryan Crump This week's Sonic Moment of Calm is something of a nostalgia trip. RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump had just shouted his son a birthday present - a ride in the cab of a steam locomotive - so why not record it steaming by? Alas, Crump's 21st century recording device had "run out of steam" so he reverted to his mobile phone's microphone instead. The resulting recording (on the platform at Palmerston North Railway Station) suffers a little from hand and wind noise, but we think there's enough hiss, chuff and whistle to make it worthwhile. Let these wheels transport you to a happier place. Photo: Bryan Crump
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Keeping music in the family
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Violinist Arabella Steinbacher Photo: © Co Merz Her parents named her after the Richard Strauss heroine , her father worked for the opera in Munich, her mother was a soprano. But Arabella Steinbacher sings with an instrument, not her voice. The Arabella of the Strauss opera is pursued by suitors and struggles to find the right one, but her namesake knew what she wanted before she was old enough to go to school - a violin. The German soloist is in New Zealand to perform Mozart's 5th violin concerto with the Auckland Philharmonia , tonight and tomorrow. Steinbacher joined RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump ahead of her performances. They spoke about her early musical experiences, and her friendship with the great Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis . It was a memorable first meeting; "he offered me a vodka". Gitlis was a creative artist in life as well as on stage. His main message to Steinbacher was to "think less". Steinbacher's Thursday performance with the Auckland Philhramonia is already sold out, but if you're near any sort of device that can pick up RNZ Concert, you can hear the whole concert broadcast live from 7.30pm .
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Sunday Concerts Presents Solo Pianist John Chen
Press Release – Wellington Chamber Music Sunday Concerts presents the John Chen at 3 pm on Sunday 15 June 2025 at St Andrews on The Terrace, Wellington. Having become the youngest ever winner of the Sydney International Piano Competition in 2004, at the age of 18, Chen has performed with most of the major symphony orchestras in Australia and New Zealand. He presents an all-French programme that is a celebration of the beautiful simplicity and melodic romanticism that a solo piano can achieve. The programme of this concert features Poulenc's Three Novelettes, Duparc's Four Melodies, Franck's Prelude Chorale and Fugue, Fauré's Theme and Variations op. 73, and Saint-Saëns' 6 Etudes Op. 111 John Chen studied with Rae de Lisle at the University of Auckland, where he obtained his Master of Music, followed by an Artist Diploma at Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles under John Perry. Reflecting a passion for 20th century French music, he has made recordings of works by Henri Dutilleux, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel for Naxos and ABC Classics. For more information see or Eventfinda for bookings. Tickets are $40 or $10 for those under 26. School students are free if accompanying an adult. This concert is presented in association with Chamber Music NZ and is part of a 13-concert tour by Chen. Background information Wellington Chamber Music was formed in 1945 and has been presenting Sunday Concerts since 1982. The concerts feature top NZ artists and most concerts are recorded by RNZ Concert for later broadcast – often heard in the 1-3 pm slot on RNZ Concert. Ticket prices are modest as the organisers are unpaid volunteers, though the artists receive professional fees.
