New Zealand String Quartet

We're thrilled to return to Nelson after the success of the Adam Chamber Music Festival and the Adam Summer School. This performance marks the final opportunity for Nelson audiences to experience the current lineup 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: Leonie Holmes, Fragment II Shostakovich No.14 Brahms No. 3 in B flat major, Op. 67 Leonie Holmes’ Fragment II is a whimsical exploration of a ‘fragment’, a three-note passage introduced by the cello, which builds in tension. The use of wide intervals and augmented harmonies create an atmosphere of beauty and poignancy. 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. The beautifully balanced programme is rounded off with Brahms No.3 in B flat major, Op. 67 – a rich and melodic exploration of classical form and Romantic sentiment. 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.