Tell us about listening to Arvo Pärt in the middle of a wintry Wellington day! Arvo Pärt's music was, I think a wonderful choice of repertoire with which to finish one's work with a choir. Pärt is a composer who's contributed of late to a quiet revolution that's taken place within the confines of contemporary classical music, turning his back on much of the avant-garde modes of expression in favor... read more

At several points during the festival the question what was the essence of chamber music arose through the pieces played. Given thaat the essential ingredient of chamber music is music with one player to a part, the rearranging of music from orchestral to chamber music, and vice-versa, raises interesting questions; and there's the related question, the effect of arrangements for other instruments or for more or fewer instruments that... read more