JUMP INTO NZTRIO’S SECOND OFFERING FOR 2026
Photo credit: Jen Raoult
Leading Aotearoa chamber music ensemble NZTrio He Taonga Wairere are pleased to announce Space Jump, the second instalment in their 2026 series. The concert will see NZTrio head to Hamilton, Auckland, Gisborne, Napier, Wellington and Greytown this August, promising a thrilling, gravity-defying musical journey that bridges extreme sports, multicultural fusion, and deep German Romanticism.
For Space Jump, pianist Somi Kim returns after parental leave, joining Amalia Hall (violin) and Matthias Balzat (cello) to continue the trio’s legacy of world-class collaboration. In a colourful series that takes audiences from the edge of space to the heart of Europe, Space Jump is a masterclass in musical curation, proving why NZTrio remains at the absolute forefront of New Zealand's contemporary arts scene.
The tour takes its name from Turkish composer Fazıl Say’s gripping work Space Jump, directly inspired by Felix Baumgartner’s record-breaking 2012 skydive from the edge of space. Capturing the high-adrenaline tension of a 39-kilometre freefall through the stratosphere, the piece shatters traditional classical boundaries with its driving rhythms and intense cinematic energy.
Space Jump opens the programme, then moves to the playful energy and radiant adoration of Schumann’s lyrical Piano Trio No. 2. The concert also includes a new commission for NZTrio by South African/New Zealand composer Keith Moss, bringing with it a tangible sense of place. The piece, Field Notes in Autumn, evokes the change of seasons settling over a Wellington streetscape. The concert concludes with a striking work by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail, bringing a rich fusion of Indian Hindustani and Western musical traditions, translating traditional ragas into a new sonic space.
"We love music that tells a vivid story, and Space Jump is about as visceral as it gets," says NZTrio violinist Amalia Hall. "To go from the sheer adrenaline of a supersonic freefall to the profound, grounded beauty of the other works in this lineup is exactly the kind of musical rollercoaster we love taking our audiences on."
Later this year, NZTrio closes out their 2026 series with Reverie, performing in 10 centres across the motu between 31 October – 4 December. Reverie gently rocks between dream and reality with Kulenty’s atmospheric A Cradle Song, Schumann’s passionate Piano Trio No. 3, Schoenberg’s shimmering Las Estrellas, a fresh NZ commission from Karlo Margetič, and Bernstein’s youthful, vibrant Piano Trio – a rich blend of styles and emotions.
Tickets and more information at: www.nztrio.com/event-directory
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Note: correct spelling ‘NZTrio’ – no spaces, no ‘the’, not ‘The New Zealand Trio’
DATES AND BOOKING DETAILS:
SPACE JUMP
15 Aug – Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton - tickets
16 Aug – Auckland Concert Chamber - tickets
21 Aug – Lawson Field Theatre, Gisborne - tickets
22 Aug – St Paul’s Church, Napier - tickets
23 Aug – Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui, Wellington - tickets
30 Aug – Greytown, 57 Wood Street - tickets through efjac@xtra.co.nz
REVERIE
31 Oct – Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui, Wellington - tickets
1 Nov – Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui - tickets available soon
4 Nov – Dunedin Public Art Gallery - tickets
5 Nov – The Piano, Christchurch - tickets
6 Nov – Nelson Centre of Musical Arts - tickets
8 Nov – Auckland Concert Chamber - tickets
14 Nov – Turner Centre Bar, Kerikeri - tickets
15 Nov – The Old Library, Whangārei - tickets
3 Dec – Rotorua Music Society, Sir Howard Morrison Centre - tickets
4 Dec – Taupō - tickets available soon
OTHER PROGRAMMES
9–26 Sept – Chamber Music New Zealand, Die Forelle / The Trout nationwide tour - tickets
5 Oct – Morning Melodies “Love & Loss”, Bruce Mason Centre - tickets
28 Nov – Orchestra Wellington “Oceans”, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington – tickets