New Zealand String Quartet

Glowing reviews, enthusiastic audiences and invitations to return have greeted the New Zealand String Quartet’s thirteen concert international tour which finishes in Curacao this week. New Zealand’s most travelled classical ensemble set out for Europe a month ago and have been overwhelmed with praise for their playing and for the music by New Zealand composers they included in their programmes in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Scotland. Nine concerts in Europe were followed by a concert in London, Ontario and three in Willemstad, Curacao.

“This tour has been an unqualified success” says Quartet Manager Elizabeth Kerr. “European presenters have been full of praise for the musicians and their programmes and have sent feedback like “breath-taking”, “profound musicality” and “fantastic playing”.  Several have already asked for return visits.”

Critics were also unfailingly positive and like the audiences responded strongly to the New Zealand compositions. Gillian Whitehead’s celebration of whales Puhake ki te rangi featured in five of the programmes, with Richard Nunns joining the quartet on Maori instruments made of whale and albatross bone. Audience members surrounded Richard and the instruments after every performance and the piece was described as “a real piece of magic” and “an eye-opener”. Music by John Psathas and Gao Ping was also played on the tour, usually combined with more traditional chamber works by Schubert, Mendelssohn and Shostakovitch.

New Zealand composer Miriama Young, recently appointed to the music staff of the University of Aberdeen, attended the concert there and wrote afterwards “I thought the Quartet played with a striking sense of integrity, a deep connection to the repertoire and with so much nuance, delicateness and musicality! The collaboration with Richard created a richly-textured and evocative endpoint to a very powerful concert — and the audience were, I think, deeply moved. It’s just wonderful to hear such a strength and diversity of repertoire, and to experience the range of Asia-Pacific (and Mediterranean!) influences that threaded their way through the programme. The New Zealand String Quartet and Richard Nunns are true ambassadors for New Zealand, and I feel very proud!”

 The New Zealand String Quartet plans to return to Europe in 2010.