Acclaim
Three's company
31 March 2012
...It was a brilliant farrago of percussiveness and throbbing ostinatos, with infectious ragtime...The New Zealand compositions were hardly less singular in expressiveness and invention than the American, and all were served magnificently by these players.
Lindis Taylor, The New Zealand Listener (Vol 233, No. 3751)
Crisp end to festival
21 March 2012
A short and intense concert of true excellence with 20th and 21st century pieces to capture your imagination closed the musical offerings at the Arts Festival...NZTrio are a New Zealand treasure their repertoire choices astute and adventurous...The whole was innovative, imaginative wonderful playing and performances.
Garth Wilshere - Capital Times, Wellington
Festival-ending concert full of superlative playing
19 March 2012
This festival-ending concert...packed a mighty punch in repertoire of ear-tingling sounds...a concert of real substance and reward, blessed with superlative playing from all concerned. None of this music is easy to play, yet everyone displayed a virtuosity that allowed the music the freedom to speak. And speak it did.
John Button - Dominion Post
Trio sparkles and gleams
15 September 2011
Review excerpt...The musicians effortlessly caught the joyous swing of the opening movement [of Saint-Seans' Trio] as it sauntered along like a Brazilian dance yet to be discovered by Milhaud. Sarah Watkins' scales gleamed like dashings of carnival glitter. To some, this music may seem lightish, but the craft is impeccable. Justine Cormack and Ashley Brown's second movement dialogues had a real thrust and engagement; in the final Allegro, the composer's ingenuity was beautifully realised.
Brahms' C minor Trio was magnificent. The opening pages might have roared with energy, yet a second theme was an understated sigh. The three musicians navigated Brahms' complex, shifting textures with no thematic connection unaccounted for. The paradoxes of the Presto were deliciously apparent, while the Andante grazioso found all three players with nothing to fear from some of Brahms' most taxingly transparent writing...
William Dart - NZ Herald
Zestful and spirited performances to savour
02 August 2011
...It is always a pleasure to relax and enjoy the sheer musicianship of this group. Brown, Justine Cormack and Sarah Watkins understand just what it takes to put the musical jigsaw together; and, with the testing weave of Brahms' opening Allegro, that proved a decided asset. From the zest-filled variations of the Andante through to a glittering whirl of a Scherzo, this was a performance to savour.
At the other end of the evening Schubert's B flat Trio was delivered with immense spirit and a real feeling for the composer's songfulness, only slightly marred by minor lapses in intonation. The highlight here was a brilliantly hued Rondo, with cimbalon-like tremolo from the strings and Watkins drawing a real gleam from the Museum's Fazioli...
William Dart - New Zealand Herald
NZTrio in beautiful Upper Hutt recital
28 July 2011
NZTrio is among the most accomplished full-time professional chamber groups in New Zealand. While there is a large repertoire for piano trio, much of the 18th century is domestic or salon music, even that of Haydn and Mozart; almost all the relatively few great works are of the 19th century. Thus a piano trio is right to devote a lot of effort to exploring contemporary repertoire, and particularly to commission New Zealand music. All these things NZTrio does splendidly.
Lindis Taylor - Middle C
Acclaimed trio delivers to form
05 May 2011
...NZTrio is particularly known for some brilliant interpretations of contemporary works, and yesterday was no exception. Swing Shift - Groove Boxes was the opener. A piece by American contemporary composer Kenji Bunchs, which captures the atmosphere of New York City between dusk and dawn, the work opens with strong pulsating pizzicatos, inviting the piano to participate. Layers of textured syncopation, bluesy chords and melodic strands continue at speed, unrelenting, and from which there is no dismounting. NZTrio stayed triumphantly in the saddle till the finish line.
Chris Adams is the current Mozart Fellow at University of Otago. His Jekyll Rat was written for NZTrio. A complex work in three movements which opens with Me ne frego, a thin, rather wishy-washy entry, before the body of the piece explodes with a mix and match of textures and themes.The final movement, Insanity represented by Mustard Yellow, featured violent passages with hideous climaxes, frenetic melodies and outrageous textures. Introducing his work, the composer spoke of politicians, one in particular having been his inspiration.
After the contemporary entry, Brahms' Piano Trio No 1 in B, Op 8 seemed sublimely orchestral. The Scherzo was delightfully skittish and bold and the trio's overall interpretation was magnificent throughout.
Elizabeth Bouman - Otago Daily Times
NZTrio at Marama Hall
04 May 2011
NZTrio have become a national treasure. Their performances are always slick, intelligent and professional – just as can be expected – however they are also delightfully and refreshingly lacking in pretentious ostentation.
Marian Poole - freelance music critic for the Listener and Otago Daily Times
What NZTrio audience members have been saying this year
19 April 2011
What a superb concert!!! The rich, full sound, the immaculate ensemble playing, the variety in the programme and the zest of the players were an absolute joy.
Bravo. Fantastic!!
Wonderful varied programme, superb musicians. Thanks!
Bedazzled!!! Wonderful!!!
Stunning - Loved the way you engaged equally with all composers…from delicacy to power.
Very vibrant, enthusiastic and musically alive. Great range of pieces with huge projection.
Programme exceptional and great to see musicians so enjoying themselves.
Wonderful music making, performed beautifully. A stimulating afternoon's music. Thank you.
Great fun!! So good to hear new compositions by young composers. Well done. PS. Come to London :-)
Lively, Enjoyable. Skilled. Thank you.
Out of this world.
AMAZING!! Thank you so much x
Totally outstanding! Loved every second.
Inspired playing.
Fantastic as always!
Magnificent. Great interaction!
Wonderful performance!
Fantastic. It is a privilege to be at this concert. Many thanks!
Great variety of modern and traditional classical music. Appealed to young and old.
NZTrio audience - via 2011 concert feedback forms
John Psathas - Helix
02 April 2011
Helix is an attractive collection of chamber music that offers the chance to get up close and personal with Psathas...NZTrio's shattering title piece,
with a Tarantismo movement that almost rivals the recent Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra version for firing power, guarantees goosebumps. 5/5 rating.
William Dart - New Zealand Herald