NZ String Quartet at Zealandia: Helene Pohl and Monique Lapins (violins), Gillian Ansell (viola) and Rolf Gjelsten (cello).
Over the past eight years, Whanganui audiences have come to know Monique Lapins (second violinist of Chamber Music Whanganui patrons, the NZ String Quartet), and have enjoyed the tremendous energy, artistry and musical depth she has brought to the quartet’s performances.
Sadly, Lapins will soon leave the quartet to embark
on new musical ventures. Luckily, we have the opportunity to hear her perform one last time with the NZSQ when they play in Whanganui’s Concert Chamber on Thursday, May 2 at 7.30pm.
This year began in a very adventurous spirit for the NZSQ, not only with their highly successful 30th Adam’s Chamber Music Festival in Nelson but also with sold-out concerts at Zealandia “Sounds of the Sanctuary”(matching birdsong to music), at the Rembrandt-Remastered exhibition at the NZ Academy of Fine Arts’ “Masters of Light and Sound”.
In addition, there were innovative community performances at The Performance Arcade, Te Papa - Tā Oro X NZSQ with taonga pūoro expert, Horomona Horo, and visual artist, Regan Balzer.
Returning to a more traditional format, Chamber Music Whanganui is delighted to welcome the NZ String Quartet for the second concert in its 2024 subscription series. Their programme, Romanticism & Impressionism, features quartets by Brahms and Debussy as well as a short work by NZ composer Leonie Holmes.
