There’s been a shuffling of the top deck at New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) - with an internationally renowned appointment rejigging the chain of command.

But the announcement is a slow burn - and does have a knock-on effect.

NZSO is touting the incoming services of André de Ridder as its next Music Director, with the catch being the sought-after conductor not sue to start his tenure until 2027.   It’s a role that has been inactive at NZSO since Edo de Waart ended his near four-year stint with the organisation in 2019.

The recruitment of the German-born de Ridder’s calibre is being celebrated as a major coup. Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “One of the world’s most daring conductors,” de Ridder has interestingly also been appointed to the same role - with the same 2027 start date - at the English National Opera.

He is currently the Music Director of Germany’s renowned Theatre and Philharmonisches Orchester Freiburg and conducted countless orchestras around the world, as well as collaborating with bands like Gorillaz and The National, and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. 

The seeds for his Aotearoa appointment were laid back in 2023 when he was a guest conductor for a three-concert festival, an experience that stuck with de Ridder and has prompted a return to out shores in August for another trio of concerts, working with the likes of tāonga puoro expert Jerome Kavanagh Poutama and much loved musical mind Bret McKenzie.

“The orchestra’s brilliance and warm, receptive musicality became immediately apparent to me. The shared joy of music making grew from concert to concert and I was very taken by the friendly and lively reception from the New Zealand audience.  

“I am very excited and feel truly honoured to have been chosen to become this orchestra’s next Music Director and to learn about and contribute to New Zealand’s unique musical and cultural scenery. 

“With this fantastic group of musicians and organisation I believe we can, and need to, continue to prove how essential, life affirming and transcending live orchestral music is and what an orchestra can be today. 

"I very much look forward to my upcoming visit and exciting programmes in Wellington and Auckland, and to plan for the future!” 

NZSO Board Chair Carmel Walsh adds “Like many New Zealanders who were introduced to André when he first conducted the NZSO in 2023, I was blown away by his passion, professionalism and enthusiasm on and off stage.

“There is so much he will bring to the NZSO, and it will be felt by both our skilled and experienced players and by every New Zealander who sees the NZSO perform.” 

It means there will be a change in title for the orchestra’s current Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor Gemma New.  She’s been in the roles since 2022, but the arrival of de Ridder will see the highly regarded New Zealander move into a new position of Artistic Partner in 2027.

In a statement, New notes “I’m continually inspired by the musicians of the NZSO - their artistry, openness and commitment to excellence make every collaboration a joy. It’s also been incredibly moving to feel the warmth and enthusiasm of our audiences throughout Aotearoa.

“I’m honoured to continue our journey together in the new role of Artistic Partner, and I look forward to this next chapter of shared music-making with deep excitement and gratitude.”

Walsh acknowledges the importance of New’s contribution - who has established herself as an audience favourite.

“As an NZSO Board member when Gemma was appointed Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor four years ago, I’ve seen her play an integral role in the NZSO’s artistic leadership. The orchestra is extraordinarily grateful for what Gemma has achieved, not to mention she has an enormous following with our audiences. We’re delighted that relationship will continue with her as our Artistic Partner.” 

Jefferies lands SCAPE

Well-travelled performer and arts leader Rachel Jefferies has landed an important role in her home town of Ōtautahi.

She’s been announced as the new Executive Director of SCAPE Public Art, responsible for bringing contemporary public art to life in Christchurch. Jefferies takes over from Richard Aindow, who started his new role as Chief Executive of The Court Theatre earlier this week.

Jefferies states she was drawn to the role by SCAPE's unique position in the cultural landscape.

"SCAPE's work sits at the intersection of creativity, community, and place. I'm honoured to lead an organisation that not only commissions bold, contemporary public art but also fosters meaningful connections between artists and audiences across Ōtautahi and beyond."

After what’s been described as a rigorous recruitment process, SCAPE Chair Graham Dockrill explains what made Jefferies stand out.

"Rachel brings a rare combination of strategic insight and hands-on experience across business development, event production, philanthropy, and fundraising consultancy. 

"Her deep understanding of the arts ecosystem and her commitment to community engagement made her a standout choice."

A classically trained percussionist, Jefferies has worked across the country in a number of roles including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Auckland Philharmonia - as well as serving on the boards of the Tim Bray Theatre Company and Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum.

Her first day in the new gig is Friday (Friday 27 June).

New co-chairs

Tom Irvine’s involvement in the creative sector has been steadily growing in 2025.

Recently named the Acting Director of Auckland Art Gallery, the CEO of Whai Maia (the tribal development arm of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) and in-demand board member has been elected Co-Chair of Auckland arts organisation Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi, along with Denis Cosgove.

They take over the positions from Tara Pradhan - who has resigned from the board after 5 years of service to focus on her job as Director Government & International Relations and CEO Middle East for Greenstone - and Agnes Naera. 

Cosgove has more than 30 years’ experience at CEO and senior executive levels in the government and not-for-profit sectors in New Zealand and Australia. She’s currently chair of Wahanga Tū Kōrero | TalkLink Trust and CEO of The Selwyn Foundation and has an active interest in contemporary art and design, especially supporting new and emerging talent through a private residency and commissions.

Breaking the mould

The New Zealand Children’s Music Awards are set for this weekend (29 June) but the first award has already been announced.

The Baysting Prize for Children’s Champion - named in hour of the late Arthur Baysting - has been awarded to South Auckland’s Sistema Aotearoa, described as “one of Aotearoa’s most unique and impactful music and social development programmes.”

Based at the Ōtara Music Arts Centre (ŌMAC), the organisation uses orchestral music to nurture confidence, connection, and a deep sense of community with free, high-quality music education. It breaks the norm - picking up a violin isn’t something many in the area see as viable or relatable - but Sistema Aotearoa is all about breaking the stereotypes, removing financial barriers and helping tamariki discover their potential and grow as leaders, learners, and teammates.

Music Director Sarah Spence has been teaching the programme for 11 years and told The Lowdown “It’s been a complete and very pleasing surprise to be recognised from a wider music industry, arts and eduction community – hugely encouraging. Having peers, others in the Arts and children’s education recognise the positive impact we’re making is humbling. 

“We get to enjoy the work - work in a field where some may say that benefits are unquantifiable – even though we see with our own eyes the huge difference the programme is making.  The Baysting Prize from APRA AMCOS makes a difference, it recognises that and that endorsement encourages others to support to our work – donors and sponsors. Wonderful to have something to celebrate with our whānau and ākonga – of all their hardwork and commitment is really special.

“Students in some areas of Auckland get given music lessons and music instruments by their parents easily, it’s not a problem; why should it be any different in any postcode in Tāmaki Makaurau? 

“Last year we worked with just over 1700 students, from pre-school to senior high school, with 62 contributing schools. And Sistema Students enjoy success; they’re not shy about achieving – sometimes it’s quite loud.” 

 Sistema Aotearoa General Manager Iain Rea told The Lowdown what success looks like to the organisation - what they call whānau empowerment. 

“Making a difference in student’s lives and that’s a life-time effect.  Then there’s the pride on parent faces when they attend a concert and see their tamariki performing and achieving – so providing a platform for that celebration of the student’s achievements is rewarding.  So, the aim, is not to change just the students lives, but to invite parents to recognise that their support, their encouragement, is probably the most important in their children’s learning. 

“We’ve been going for just over 14 years now so some of those students who started with Sistema Aotearoa back in 2011 are now achieving and following paths of success. Some are at University, some are studying music, others law, commerce, arts. Some are teaching in the Sistema Aotearoa programme. Some are playing leadership roles in other music organisations.”

APRA AMCOS NZ Head of Operations Anthony Healey enthuses “we are very excited to celebrate Sistema Aotearoa and everything they do. We know music is an incredibly powerful tool and Sistema have determinedly and passionately gone about providing opportunities to generations of young New Zealanders to engage with orchestral music. None of this is easy, but the outcomes of all this hard work are immeasurable”. 

It’s a well-deserved honour for an organisation that knows the all-round value of creativity - not just for music skills, but life skills and wellbeing. It’s sure to be well received at Sunday’s Awards event.

If Sistema Aotearoa sounds like an organisation you'd want to be a part of, they're currently on the hunt for a new Music Director - details here.

Pacific pride

Awards dos are always special for those involved, but few make the announcement of the finalists more special that the Pacific Music Awards (PMAs).

The Mangere Arts Centre played host to the event that saw the highest number of entries ever received whittled down to a record 34 finalists across 13 categories.  The joy in the room is palpable - it’s a recogntion of culture and a collective feeling of success.

PMA Trust spokesperson Rev Mua Strickson-Pua details “Our Finalist Announcement event is a celebration for families, communities, and the wider music industry—where everyone is a winner. Guided by our ancestors, we honour the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to a bright future.”

There are 15 first-time nominees as well as a host of big names within the industry also in the running.

Leading the way with four nominations is Aaradhna, continuing her career renaissance that say her collect Best Soul/R&B Artist at last month’s Aotearoa Music Awards. Nominated for three AMAs, she’s also up for four PMAs as a Best Pacific Female Artist, Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist, Best Pacific Music Album and Best Pacific Music Video finalist.

Matching her with four nods is Cook Island and Māori songwriter Shane Walker, who celebrated his finalist achievements in the Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Gospel Artist, Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist and APRA Best Pacific Song categories. 

Among the other multiple nomination artists are hip hop group SWIDT, Jordyn Rapana - aka Jordyn with a Why - with three each, while Lomez Brown, MELODOWNZ,  Kenzie from Welly, A.R.T, Sam V and Tree, while David Dallas is looking to back up his AMA Best Hip Hop Artist win as a PMA finalist in the same category.

Trustee and Event Producer, Petrina Togi-Sa’ena states “It feels like we are entering a  new era for the PMAs as we celebrate our 21st year.  The year looked very daunting with the challenging environment for funding and events. Then we opened for entries and the wave of nominations came through.  We received a record number of entries, which has flowed on to more finalists and more first-time finalists than ever before. All strong signals of this new wave and the strength of Pacific music right now. 

“The music of the finalists has allowed us to celebrate all our artists from the incredible Pacific music community here in Aotearoa, to recognise so many genres, to honour our Pacific languages through music and to reach across the moana to connect with artists living overseas.”

The winners will be announced on 21 August at Manukau’s Due Drop Events Centre.

Going international

A dozen New Zealand producers from film and television are being given the chance to help take their mahi international - with the cohort for 2025 Activator Screen Business Programme announced.

The business development initiative put together by Libertine Pictures, 113 Partners, Hinterland and Spada - and supported by New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, and Te Māngai Pāho - is designed to build export capability within Aotearoa’s screen production sector. The selected producers are set to take part in an intensive programme including industry-led workshops, international market visits to Sydney, London, and Los Angeles, and expert business training between July and October.

Those selected are documentary and feature producer Alexander Behse (Monsoon Pictures International) - whose credits include POI-E: The Story of Our Song and NZ’s first HBO Max Original There is No I in Threesome, which he made with Alexandra Reed (Bloom Pictures), the documentary and drama producer who contributed to Mister Organ and The Girl on the Bridge. 

Cam Bakker (Kevin & Co.) has produced TV hits Taskmaster NZ, Creamerie, and Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, while Cass Avery (Dark Doris) has worked on top ranking documentaries like Chasing Great and Prime Minister.

Georgina Conder (Miss Conception Films) has made a career out of ensuring underrepresented voices get their moment in the comedy and drama genres with the likes of The Breaker Upperers, Cousins and Red, White & Brass, which she worked on with Halaifonua “Nua” Finau (Tavake), whose CV also includes award-winning TV drama The Panthers - while Mario Gaoa (The Brown Factory) also has a Pacific lens, contributing to bro’Town, We Are Still Here, Duckrockers and Kiwi box office record-breaker Tinā.

The same goes for Nicole Horan (Hi Mama Productions) for kaupapa Māori through factual series such as Toa Hunter Gatherer, documentary including Speak No Māori and scripted content like the upcoming Dead Ahead.

Ground-breaking producer Nigel McCulloch is one of the visionary trio behind The Down Low Concept and has been a master at both short format funnies like 7 Days and music documentaries like Scribe: Return of the Crusader and Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara. Another veteran of comedy and drama Paul Yates (NZDB / Kitchen Table Productions) has produced hits Wellington Paranormal and Under the Vines.

A mix of documentary and unscripted series drives both Rachale Davies (Boxed Media) - with the likes of The X Factor and Bondi Rescue - and Robyn Paterson (Sweet Productions) with hits like Down for Love and Grand Designs NZ.

Young leaders ready to shine

Writer, performer and musician Nick Tipa was a hit at the Dunedin Fringe Festival with his award-winning show Babyface - and he’s set for another big opportunity to further his career in his home town of Ōtepoti.

Tipa (Kāi Tahu) has been named as the NZ Young Writers Festival (NZYWF) Young Writer in Residence, giving him the chance to spend two weeks at the Robert Lord Writers Cottage in Dunedin to developing his craft and prepare for the 2025 festival.

NZYWF have also announced their Tuākana for this year’s event to guide and support participants through the festival’s wānaka and public programme, including leading creative sessions and contribute as speakers, mentors, and performers.

Poet, researcher and arts facilitator Ruby Macomber (Rotuma/Ngāpuhi) brings experience as curator of STREETSIDE  in this year’s Auckland Writers Festival and was part of last year’s NZYWF, writer, educator, and theatre practitioner Josiah Morgan (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) is the featured poet in the Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2026 and Rauhina Scott-Fyfe (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Pākehā) is a takatāpui writer, researcher and archivist.

Expressions of Interest for the 2025 NZ Young Writers Fest close on Sunday (29 June), with creatives aged between 18–35 encouraged to join their peers in the Deep South event.

Kerrin's cards

The artwork of Bay of Plenty artist Kerrin Tilley is inspirational at the best of times - but now it’s getting traction on an international level.

Tilley paints by holding the brush in his mouth after suffering a neck injury playing rugby that ended his career as a dairy farmer. He now earns his income as an artist, with many of his paintings depicting his love of the outdoor life.

One of his works, Free Spirit, has been selected for the mid-year greeting card range produced by international group the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA), which has 850 members in 84 countries throughout the world. The selection is made by a panel of European experts, with Tilley one of two New Zealand artists picked alongside Wayne TeRangi.

Tilley explains the seagull image - “Birds are amazing creatures, I tried to capture their wing and body movements as they fly and hover in the breeze. I photographed them while putting the long line out with my brother and support worker last year, as they hung around for a free snack when the old baits were removed from the hooks.

“Being confined to a wheelchair you have to admire their ability to take to the air and enjoy that freedom. I'm pleased with the painting and thrilled it was chosen for this year's selection of cards.”