Auckland's Central City Library is a treasure trove for music lovers, not only because of its comprehensive music collections but it has a reputation for exceptional concerts brought to you by the music community whom it serves.
Our concert series was established in 2005 after Lewis Eady Ltd. gifted the library with a beautiful Kawai grand piano and it continues to delight.
We invite you to join us for a year of breath-taking performances - a special series of concerts where together with the musicians we uncover the enduring power behind the music held in the library’s collections.
Join us for a season of discovery, FREE in the centre of Auckland, a UNESCO City of Music.
Where: Whare Wānanga, Level 2 Central City Library, Lorne St, Auckland.
Heritage Concert Series 2020 Schedule:
Thursday 23 April, 12:10-1:00pm
Ensemble East: Yid-Ee Goh (violin), Vanessa Tam (violin) Dickson Fung (viola), Lisa Chou (piano, cello)
In celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birth year, Ensemble East opens the Auckland Libraries Thursday Heritage Concerts Autumn series 2020 with a programme of Beethoven consisting of two of his major chamber music masterworks. Spanning from the beginning of Beethoven’s development into a revolutionary composer to his connection with the transcendental in his later years, violinist Yid-Ee Goh and pianist Lisa Chou present his Violin Sonata No. 7 in c minor and then are joined by fellow musicians Dickson Fung and Vanessa Tam for the 3rd movement of String Quartet op. 132.
Thursday 7 May, 12:10-1:00pm
The Saint Kentigern College musicians present a collection of solo and chamber music from the European masters. The musicians performing today are winners from our College’s Solo Music Competition, along with our premier chamber ensembles preparing for the NZCT Chamber Music Contest. The best musicians from Saint Kentigern College bring a range of string, wind, brass, vocal and piano works in solo and chamber forms. Many of these musicians are members of various national orchestras and recipients of scholarships from regional and tertiary music institutions.
Herbstleider: acapella songs of Autumn
Thursday 21 May, 12:10-1:00pm
Spanning 400 years, Herbstlieder is a rich and varied Autumn-themed programme of spoken poetry and a capella vocal chamber music drawn from the Renaissance to the 21st Century. The programme features madrigals with texts on the changing of the seasons, Romantic partsongs that depict Autumn metaphorically as the emotional tumult of love, and lighter numbers, such as the famous jazz standard, Autumn Leaves. The ensemble will also perform contemporary classical works, including hauntingly beautiful new music by Auckland-based composers David Hamilton and Chris Adams. Korimako Collective is a flexible new collaboration of NZ's leading ensemble singers drawn from Voices NZ.
Thursday 4 June, 12:10-1:00pm
This concert showcases the diverse talent in ensembles from Auckland Grammar School, including chamber groups, the chamber orchestra, Grammar Virtuosi, and the chamber choir, Grammarphonics. Using historically accurate replica bows and harpsichord, Virtuosi will begin with repertoire from the Baroque period, including the quirky Battalia by Franz Biber. Grammarphonics will present a selection of songs and the programme will also include music by local composers Chris Adams and David Hamilton.
Souvenirs of North and South America
Thursday 18 June, 12:10-1:00pm
From the shady streets of an Argentine city at night to the firey passion of the Spanish flamenco and the poignancy of the African American Spiritual, our American guests Hyeeun Hahm and Josiah Stocker take us on an exciting musical journey through North and South America – places you may have seen, or maybe would like to see one day. Exploring the works for piano 4 hands of Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Guastavino, Ernest Lecuona, Margaret Bond and Samuel Barber, the Stocker Duo bring us very special souvenirs from the other side of the world to conclude our Autumn series.
$2 per hour to a max of $12 on weekends and a $12 flat rate for weekday evenings at The Civic car park. Find out more.