NZSQ Soundscapes

Join the New Zealand String Quartet (NZSQ) for an evening of exquisite chamber music as part of its 2024 season Soundscapes. This performance marks the final opportunity for Wellington audiences to experience the current line-up of the quartet before the NZSQ bids a fond farewell to much-loved second violinist, Monique Lapins, who will soon embark on new artistic endeavours.

Programme:

Claire Cowan, Celestia> <Terralia

Shostakovich No.14

Debussy in G minor, Op.10

The NZSQ premiered celebrated NZ composer Claire Cowan’s 'Celestia> <Terralia' at the Adam Chamber Music Festival in February 2024. Utilising minimalist musical techniques, the piece takes its energetic structure from the movements between Earth and space- the countdown to a rocket launch, the release of gravity as a return to the womb, and the profound perspective shift that comes with observing Earth from a great distance.

Shostakovich’s 14th string quartet is a deeply contemplative work, characterized by its stark emotional intensity, exploring themes of mortality and anguish through its haunting melodies and sparse textures.

This beautifully balanced programme is rounded off with Debussy in G minor, Op. 10. Composed in 1893, it showcases the composer’s innovative use of harmony, form, and timbre, blending impressionistic colours with classical structures to create a richly evocative and atmospheric musical landscape.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the current line-up of the NZSQ for a final time in an evening of musical brilliance and fond farewells.