Elizabeth Kerr
@elizabethxkerr.bsky.social
Music writer, arts lover. I write about music, mostly the so-called classical kind, on my free website www.fivelines.nz and for NZ Listener. 🌈
Composer and writer Raf Hosking had a guest reviewing slot on Five Lines this week, contributing this lively review of a recent concert by the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. Conductor Peter Scholes boldly stretched the programming envelope, adding a Charlie Chaplin movie. Have a read! #classicalmusic
Auckland Chamber Orchestra’s ‘The Ox on the Roof’: bold and eclectic programming — Five Lines
Raf Hosking reviewed a recent concert at Kahui St David by the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Peter Scholes, with music by Holmes, Rimmer, Milhaud, Hori Shaw, Kruzi and Martinů.
www.fivelines.nz
September 24, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Composer and writer Raf Hosking had a guest reviewing slot on Five Lines this week, contributing this lively review of a recent concert by the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. Conductor Peter Scholes boldly stretched the programming envelope, adding a Charlie Chaplin movie. Have a read! #classicalmusic
Two concerts, a top-quality ensemble, adventurous repertoire and traditional favourites beautifully played - but why did one of the two concerts reviewed here on Five Lines fail to fire? #NZTrio #ChamberMusicNZ #chambermusic
NZTrio and friends – and what makes a great concert — Five Lines
NZTrio has performed twice in Wellington recently, in two tours, Space Jump, and NZTrio+, joined for the latter by a violist and a bassist for Schubert’s beloved “Trout” Quintet.
www.fivelines.nz
September 23, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Two concerts, a top-quality ensemble, adventurous repertoire and traditional favourites beautifully played - but why did one of the two concerts reviewed here on Five Lines fail to fire? #NZTrio #ChamberMusicNZ #chambermusic
"Being in the Antarctic heightened Kelly’s consciousness of the climate crisis facing the world. 'The climate is an urgent issue for everybody, and I don’t know an artist who’s not contemplating it in their work,' she says." #VictoriaKelly #VivaldiFourSeasons #Antarctica #MartinboroughMusicFestival
Victoria Kelly: a composer responds to the Antarctic, Vivaldi and an alien ocean — Five Lines
Victoria Kelly is composer-in-residence for both the Martinborough Music Festival and Orchestra Wellington. She talked to Five Lines about two upcoming premieres and the influence of the Antarctic.
www.fivelines.nz
September 22, 2026 at 12:26 AM
"Being in the Antarctic heightened Kelly’s consciousness of the climate crisis facing the world. 'The climate is an urgent issue for everybody, and I don’t know an artist who’s not contemplating it in their work,' she says." #VictoriaKelly #VivaldiFourSeasons #Antarctica #MartinboroughMusicFestival
Lucas & Arthur Jussen, a stonking piano duo from the Netherlands, just toured for Chamber Music New Zealand. These two play as one! Here's my review - have a read and kick yourself if you missed them. #lucas&arthurjussen #pianoduo #chambermusic #theriteofspring
Lucas and Arthur Jussen, piano duo: dazzling virtuosity with miraculous rapport — Five Lines
Lucas and Arthur Jussen, duo pianists from the Netherlands, entranced audiences on a five concert tour of New Zealand for Chamber Music New Zealand.
www.fivelines.nz
August 25, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Lucas & Arthur Jussen, a stonking piano duo from the Netherlands, just toured for Chamber Music New Zealand. These two play as one! Here's my review - have a read and kick yourself if you missed them. #lucas&arthurjussen #pianoduo #chambermusic #theriteofspring
Who do I talk to at @BlueSky about getting less political content and a lot more music and arts coverage in my feed? #sappingmywilltolive
August 19, 2026 at 3:42 AM
Who do I talk to at @BlueSky about getting less political content and a lot more music and arts coverage in my feed? #sappingmywilltolive
The NZSO's all-Finnish line-up - a conductor, a violinist and two composers, Sibelius and Lindberg. My review of a terrific concert now on its way to Auckland and Hamilton. Have a read - and subscribe for free to support my work. www.fivelines.nz/articles/nzs...
NZSO Myths and Legends: the brooding charms of Finnish music — Five Lines
Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen has returned to New Zealand after 11 years to tour with the NZSO, playing music from his home country by Sibelius and Lindberg.
www.fivelines.nz
August 19, 2026 at 2:48 AM
The NZSO's all-Finnish line-up - a conductor, a violinist and two composers, Sibelius and Lindberg. My review of a terrific concert now on its way to Auckland and Hamilton. Have a read - and subscribe for free to support my work. www.fivelines.nz/articles/nzs...
Wellington Opera is causing a stir this week with its production of Manon. Find out why in my review. #Manon #WellingtonOpera #PenePati #AminaEdris #soldoutseason www.fivelines.nz/articles/wel...
Wellington Opera’s Manon: a stylish and musical triumph — Five Lines
Wellington Opera has pulled off a triumph – not only a sold-out season of Manon , but an artistically sure-footed and thoughtful production worthy of Massenet’s masterpiece.
www.fivelines.nz
August 5, 2026 at 6:12 AM
Wellington Opera is causing a stir this week with its production of Manon. Find out why in my review. #Manon #WellingtonOpera #PenePati #AminaEdris #soldoutseason www.fivelines.nz/articles/wel...
Two programmes from five musicians who toured to eleven New Zealand centres recently. Chamber music old and new from Aotearoa and elsewhere delighted their audiences. Here's my review of two of those concerts. #chambermusic #classicalmusic #newzealandmusic #womencomposers
The Elouan Quartet with flutist Bridget Douglas: light loveliness and splendid variety — Five Lines
The Elouan Quartet recently toured two interesting, well-curated programmes to regional chamber music centres with flutist Bridget Douglas.
www.fivelines.nz
July 28, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Two programmes from five musicians who toured to eleven New Zealand centres recently. Chamber music old and new from Aotearoa and elsewhere delighted their audiences. Here's my review of two of those concerts. #chambermusic #classicalmusic #newzealandmusic #womencomposers
Kiwi violinist Ben Morrison brought some of his colleagues from the Vienna Philharmonic to tour New Zealand as the Phileo Quartet. Here's my review of their programme of music by Wolf, Mozart, Brahms and Korngold. #classicalmusic #chambermusic #stringquartet www.fivelines.nz/articles/the...
The Phileo Quartet: sweet flavours of Vienna — Five Lines
New Zealand violinist Benjamin Morrison has brought some of his Vienna Philharmonic colleagues to tour his home country for Chamber Music New Zealand as the Phileo Quartet.
www.fivelines.nz
July 28, 2026 at 5:55 AM
Kiwi violinist Ben Morrison brought some of his colleagues from the Vienna Philharmonic to tour New Zealand as the Phileo Quartet. Here's my review of their programme of music by Wolf, Mozart, Brahms and Korngold. #classicalmusic #chambermusic #stringquartet www.fivelines.nz/articles/the...
If you're needing some mid-winter optimism, have a read of my review of the recent concert by the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. A brilliant orchestra drawn from the brightest and best of Aotearoa's young musicians. Their programme, called La Mer, marks the 50th anniversary of WWF in New Zealand.
NZSO National Youth Orchestra: an ocean voyage in radiant colour — Five Lines
The 2026 NZSO National Youth Orchestra took audiences in Wellington and Auckland on an engaging ocean voyage with music by Bewley, Britten, Foumai and Debussy.
www.fivelines.nz
July 7, 2026 at 12:48 AM
If you're needing some mid-winter optimism, have a read of my review of the recent concert by the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. A brilliant orchestra drawn from the brightest and best of Aotearoa's young musicians. Their programme, called La Mer, marks the 50th anniversary of WWF in New Zealand.
A concert review that had me thinking about what virtuosity means today. "It is the ability to use that remarkable [technical] facility in the service of artistic expression and emotional communication that sets the finest musicians apart." #OrchestraWellington #Virtuosity #NZStringQuartet #Bartok
Orchestra Wellington and some thoughts on virtuosity — Five Lines
Orchestra Wellington’s concert ‘Virtuosi’, in collaboration with the New Zealand String Quartet and cellist Inbal Meggido, explored different approaches to virtuosity in music by Elgar and Bartók.
www.fivelines.nz
July 1, 2026 at 2:39 AM
A concert review that had me thinking about what virtuosity means today. "It is the ability to use that remarkable [technical] facility in the service of artistic expression and emotional communication that sets the finest musicians apart." #OrchestraWellington #Virtuosity #NZStringQuartet #Bartok
No ego or show-off virtuosity, just beautiful playing of music he loves. Jian Liu's very special recital programme, pairing works by New Zealand and Chinese composers, toured to 7 NZ centres. My review - have a read! #tandun #douglaslilburn #davidfarquhar #gillianwhitehead #salinafisher #zhangzhao
Pianist Jian Liu: vivid pianism and intriguing curation across cultures — Five Lines
Pianist Jian Liu’s touring recital programme, pairing New Zealand and Chinese works, was thoughtfully curated and beautifully played.
www.fivelines.nz
June 24, 2026 at 2:49 AM
No ego or show-off virtuosity, just beautiful playing of music he loves. Jian Liu's very special recital programme, pairing works by New Zealand and Chinese composers, toured to 7 NZ centres. My review - have a read! #tandun #douglaslilburn #davidfarquhar #gillianwhitehead #salinafisher #zhangzhao
My review of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in Wellington - the music, the drama, the design and the social hierarchies. Thanks NZ Opera for bringing it. #opera #nzopera #lindyhume #mozart #classicalmusic
NZ Opera’s “Figaro”: glorious music, fast-moving farce and the dark side of power — Five Lines
New Zealand Opera’s sparkling production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro delighted the Wellington audience after a five year wait.
www.fivelines.nz
June 23, 2026 at 3:15 AM
My review of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in Wellington - the music, the drama, the design and the social hierarchies. Thanks NZ Opera for bringing it. #opera #nzopera #lindyhume #mozart #classicalmusic
My review of AEON, an album recorded at a very special concert of music by 6 NZ composers, John Psathas, Eve de Castro-Robinson, Michael F Williams, Kenneth Young, Gillian Whitehead and Martin Lodge himself, for whom these beautiful and moving reflections on eternity were composed.
The Aeon project: reflections on eternity — Five Lines
Six senior New Zealand composers created music to commemorate their colleague and friend, Martin Lodge. The AEON project became a concert which was recorded for this album.
www.fivelines.nz
June 10, 2026 at 4:46 AM
My review of AEON, an album recorded at a very special concert of music by 6 NZ composers, John Psathas, Eve de Castro-Robinson, Michael F Williams, Kenneth Young, Gillian Whitehead and Martin Lodge himself, for whom these beautiful and moving reflections on eternity were composed.
My profile of one of Aotearoa's rising opera stars, about to make her role debut as the Countess Almaviva in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro for NZ Opera. She's also heading to Auckland for the Opera Gala at the end of the month. More info and ticketing links in the story. #opera #Figaro #nzopera
Soprano Felicity Tomkins: sharing the joy of opera — Five Lines
Soprano Felicity Tomkins is back in New Zealand from her London base singing the Countess in NZ Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro in Wellington and starring in the Auckland Opera Studio 2026 Opera Gala...
www.fivelines.nz
June 9, 2026 at 2:52 AM
"Thoughtful concert curation" - and much more, including a blinder of an encore from the soloist. My review of the NZSO's recent programme with Gemma New conductor and James Ehnes violin soloist. Have a read! #classicalmusic #symphonyorchestra #violinconcerto #Mahlersymphonies
NZSO, Gemma New and James Ehnes: whimsy, passion and grandeur — Five Lines
The NZSO with conductor Gemma New and violinist James Ehnes thrilled the audience with music by Thomas Adès, Erich Korngold and Gustav Mahler.
www.fivelines.nz
May 26, 2026 at 4:16 AM
"Thoughtful concert curation" - and much more, including a blinder of an encore from the soloist. My review of the NZSO's recent programme with Gemma New conductor and James Ehnes violin soloist. Have a read! #classicalmusic #symphonyorchestra #violinconcerto #Mahlersymphonies
My review of "XL" - a concert with a name that's a double entendre, brilliant curation, and a terrific celebration of the 40th birthday of The Tudor Consort, one of Aotearoa's finest chamber choirs. Have a read. #thetudorconsort #tallis #speminalium #JaakkoMäntyjärvi
XL: a brilliant celebration of 40 years of The Tudor Consort — Five Lines
The Tudor Consort celebrated its 40th anniversary with a brilliant programme in Wellington Cathedral including Tallis’s 40-part Spem in alium and the work it inspired, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’s Tentatio...
www.fivelines.nz
May 10, 2026 at 10:53 PM
My review of "XL" - a concert with a name that's a double entendre, brilliant curation, and a terrific celebration of the 40th birthday of The Tudor Consort, one of Aotearoa's finest chamber choirs. Have a read. #thetudorconsort #tallis #speminalium #JaakkoMäntyjärvi
Have a read of my Five Lines profile of Canadian/US violinist James Ehnes. He loves New Zealand and arrives this week for a four-week stay to play Mozart with the Auckland Philharmonia, Korngold with the NZSO and to join the judges of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
Violinist James Ehnes: serendipity, special friends and a Strad — Five Lines
Violinist James Ehnes visits New Zealand for concertos with the Auckland Philharmonia and NZSO, and a role on the judging panel of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
www.fivelines.nz
May 8, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Have a read of my Five Lines profile of Canadian/US violinist James Ehnes. He loves New Zealand and arrives this week for a four-week stay to play Mozart with the Auckland Philharmonia, Korngold with the NZSO and to join the judges of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
It's not difficult to be positive about Mozart's glorious Requiem. But what does a critic do when they don't enjoy a new work? Have a read of my review of Orpheus Choir's latest concert. And if you were there, I'd love to hear your thoughts. #mozart #christophertin #choralmusic
Orpheus Choir: fine singing in an ambitious programme — Five Lines
The Orpheus Choir in its recent concert revealed the glorious music of Mozart’s Requiem and made the most of Christopher Tin’s To Shiver the Sky under the baton of Brent Stewart.
www.fivelines.nz
April 22, 2026 at 11:09 PM
It's not difficult to be positive about Mozart's glorious Requiem. But what does a critic do when they don't enjoy a new work? Have a read of my review of Orpheus Choir's latest concert. And if you were there, I'd love to hear your thoughts. #mozart #christophertin #choralmusic
A great new Rattle album of chamber music from NZ composer Eve de Castro-Robinson - exploring colours and textures. Played by the musicians of NZTrio. My review: #classicalmusic #chambermusic #nzmusic
Eve de Castro-Robinson: exploring colours in a new album — Five Lines
A new album of chamber works from composer Eve de Castro-Robinson reveals her as an explorer of subtle musical colours.
www.fivelines.nz
April 18, 2026 at 12:29 AM
A great new Rattle album of chamber music from NZ composer Eve de Castro-Robinson - exploring colours and textures. Played by the musicians of NZTrio. My review: #classicalmusic #chambermusic #nzmusic
Arts and politics - Shostakovich's huge 8th Symphony makes a strong statement relevant to our times. And when he composed it in 1943 it was a daring act. He called it a "poem of suffering". Here's my review of a recent NZSO performance - with some context. Have a read!
NZSO and Shostakovich’s 8th Symphony: howls of grief and rage — Five Lines
Shostakovich’s magnificent, grief-filled 8th Symphony captures the zeitgeist in a strong performance by the NZSO under André de Ridder.
www.fivelines.nz
April 14, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Arts and politics - Shostakovich's huge 8th Symphony makes a strong statement relevant to our times. And when he composed it in 1943 it was a daring act. He called it a "poem of suffering". Here's my review of a recent NZSO performance - with some context. Have a read!
My review of the opening concert of the NZSO's 2026 season - Spanish violinist María Dueñas was exquisite in Beethoven's Violin Concerto, but did we really need another performance of Dvořák's New World Symphony? Some questions about orchestral repertoire choices...and what do you think?
NZSO and María Dueñas: casting a spell with Beethoven — Five Lines
The NZSO opened its 2026 season with violinist María Dueñas playing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto . But did we really need to hear Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony again?
www.fivelines.nz
April 1, 2026 at 3:34 AM
My review of the opening concert of the NZSO's 2026 season - Spanish violinist María Dueñas was exquisite in Beethoven's Violin Concerto, but did we really need another performance of Dvořák's New World Symphony? Some questions about orchestral repertoire choices...and what do you think?
I'm looking forward to my visit to the Aspiring Conversations sessons of the Wanaka Festival of Colour this weekend, and especially this conversation I'm involved with, a celebration of poet Brian Turner. Here's a little preview piece...
Celebrating Brian Turner: “Taking Off” in poetry and song — Five Lines
Composer Janet Jennings and writer and environmentalist Jillian Sullivan will meet in an Aspiring Conversations session at the Wanaka Festival of Colour to talk about the life and poetry of Brian Turn...
www.fivelines.nz
March 24, 2026 at 12:47 AM
I'm looking forward to my visit to the Aspiring Conversations sessons of the Wanaka Festival of Colour this weekend, and especially this conversation I'm involved with, a celebration of poet Brian Turner. Here's a little preview piece...
"Norris's objective in SoundCathedral was 'an immersive, rich spatio-sonic experience for the audience'. He has succeeded brilliantly." My review of a Festival highlight, composer Michael Norris's SOUNDCATHEDRAL, presented by Stroma and the Tudor Consort in the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts.
SOUNDCATHEDRAL: sonic architecture across time and space — Five Lines
Michael Norris’s SoundCathedral was installed in the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul for premiere during the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts. Its monumental sonic architecture made a big impact.
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March 17, 2026 at 2:39 AM
"Norris's objective in SoundCathedral was 'an immersive, rich spatio-sonic experience for the audience'. He has succeeded brilliantly." My review of a Festival highlight, composer Michael Norris's SOUNDCATHEDRAL, presented by Stroma and the Tudor Consort in the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts.
A new chamber ensemble on the scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. My review of their first 2026 concert.. #korimakotrio #HelenePohl #RolfGjelsten #MichaelEndres
Korimako Piano Trio: fine musicians in thoughtful accord — Five Lines
New Zealand newest chamber ensemble, the Korimako Trio, opened its 2026 season with an enthusiastically-received concert for the Waikanae Music Society.
www.fivelines.nz
March 12, 2026 at 2:46 AM
A new chamber ensemble on the scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. My review of their first 2026 concert.. #korimakotrio #HelenePohl #RolfGjelsten #MichaelEndres