🌍✨ Heaven & Earth ✨🌌 This August, we celebrate 25 years of fearless sonic exploration. From Wind, Rain & Light in 2000 to Heaven & Earth in 2025, Stroma marks a quarter century of adventurous music-making with a programme that echoes the elemental spirit of our very first concert — music that speaks of the ground beneath and the skies above. This evocative evening features a world premiere by New York-based NZ composer Leila Adu-Gilmore, alongside works that soar into celestial wonder and delve into earthly stillness. From the ecstatic spiritual longing of Olivier Messiaen, to Sofia Gubaidulina’s meditative reflection on joy and sorrow, to vivid musical landscapes by Gemma Peacocke, John Rimmer, and Michael Norris — Heaven & Earth invites you on a journey through sound, space, and spirit. Join us as we celebrate 25 years of boundary-pushing music from the musicians of Stroma. 📅 Wednesday 27 August 2025, 7:30pm 📍 Public Trust Hall 🎟️ Tickets now

🦈 “Kaua e mate wheke, mate ururoa” “Don’t die like an octopus, die like a hammerhead shark.” This July, Stroma is proud to unveil our third programme of 2025 — Mate Ururoa, a powerful new chamber opera by legendary composer Dame Gillian Whitehead (Ngāi Te Rangi, Tūhoe). Based on the true story of Māori captain Roger Dansey, who defied orders at Gallipoli to protect the lives of his men, this urgent new work speaks to both heroism and injustice on the frontlines of a European war. Originally slated to premiere at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Mate Ururoa now receives its world premiere right here in Pōneke. 🎶 Performed in English and te reo Māori by Māori-American baritone David Tahere and taonga pūoro artist Ariana Tikao, directed by Sara Brodie, and brought to life by the musicians of Stroma, conducted by Hamish McKeich. 📍 Hannah Playhouse 📅 11–13 July 🎟️ Tickets https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2025/jul/mate-ururoa

🎬✨ Something strange and beautiful is coming... Today we can unveil more about Anemic Cinema — a one-night-only cinematic spectacle as part of the 2025 midwinter @loemisfestival . Stroma conjures the surrealist spirit of early avant-garde film, pairing a selection of experimental classics with bold, contemporary live scores. 🌙 Highlights include two world premieres: Len Lye’s Tusalava with a newly imagined score by @arfaleatua featuring Pacific drums, and @davidlongnz ’s dazzling take on David Downes’s hypnotic animation Fish, Moon. 🥁🐟 You'll also hear music by Olga Neuwirth, Iris ter Schiphorst, Yannis Kyriakides and Feona Lee Jones, breathing new life into iconic films by Buñuel, Dalí, Duchamp, Man Ray, Allégret, Deren, and Eggeling. 🎞️ Sound and image collide in ecstatic abstraction — join us at the Roxy for a night to remember.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2000–01 🎉 The countdown is complete — which means our 25th anniversary concert is TONIGHT! From the very beginning, Stroma pushed boundaries with world premieres, New Zealand premieres, and bold tributes to avant-garde visionaries. ✨ 🌧️ Wind, Rain & Light (2000) Nature and the new: Takemitsu, Ligeti, and Saariaho alongside world premieres by Norris, Gardner, Brownlee, and Booth. 🌌 Ambient & Atmospheric ChambervMusic (2001) Sound as environment: premieres by Bayer and Clement balanced with Ligeti’s Chamber Concerto and Essl’s spectral textures. 🧵 Knitting Dust (2001) A showcase of Aotearoa voices — premieres by Harris, Clement, and Watson — woven with works by Meridan, Brownlee, Rimmer, and Gardner. 🎶 In Memoriam Iannis Xenakis (2001) A tribute to a titan: Xenakis’s Waarg, Naama, and Thallein framed by Lilburn, Speirs, and Frame’s poetry in music. ✨ Our 25th anniversary concert is TONIGHT — see you there!

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2002–03 🎉 Our anniversary concert is in just 2 days — and we’re back in the countdown! 2002–03 crackled with premieres, electroacoustic adventures, and high-octane percussion alongside luminous modern classics. 🥁 Velocities Strike + Pedro Carneiro in a percussion sprint from Reich and Xenakis to Zappa and Psathas — groove, grit, and precision in overdrive. 💻 Digitalia Electronics met live ensemble: world/NZ premieres by Hayden Chisholm, Ceccarelli, Doornbush, Furman, and Murail’s spectral L’esprit des dunes. 🎷 Jazz Ain’t Dead — it just smells funny! A cheeky genre mash: new works by Miriama Young and Victoria Kelly alongside Zorn, Donatoni, and Loevendie — theatre meets avant-jazz. 🏛️ Concert with VUW Music Students Stravinsky, Berio, and Takemitsu in a shared stage project — fresh ears on 20th-century landmarks. 🎹 Stroma @ Marama Hall A Dunedin showcase: Ligeti’s Continuum, Hungarian Rock, Chamber Concerto; Michael Norris premieres; Jack Speirs and Lachlan McKenzie rounding a vivid portrait. 🎼 Viennese Composers From Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht to Webern Op.21, with Essl and Neuwirth — old Vienna refracted through the new. 🕊️ Diabolical Birds Messiaen’s Oiseaux Exotiques, Liza Lim’s title work, James Wood’s star-songs, Whitehead’s Manutaki — plus Jack Body’s world premiere, with Pierard and Sukarlan. ✨ Scintillations & Exultations Cathedral resonance: Harris’ Lament, Takemitsu and Knussen, Norris’ Scintilla, McKinnon world premiere, and MacMillan’s blazing Exsultet. 🎻 Stroma in Auckland Auckland spotlight on NZ voices: Gardner, Whitehead, Brownlee, Rimmer, and Watson — taut, textural, and alive. 🎯 571 Moa Tasters Mark Menzies leads a bracing survey: Ferneyhough’s Terrain, Varèse’s Octandre, Rimmer, Lardelli, Barrett, and Croft. 🖤 Mainly Stroma Bass-clarinet fire with Andrew Uren in Xenakis’ Échange; works by Victoria Kelly, Bowater, Liza Lim, and Philip Brownlee’s world premiere.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: 2004–05 Highlights 🎉 From cultural convergences to global cross-currents, electrified collaborations, and daring premieres, 2004–05 was a season of cultural meeting points, boundary-breaking sounds, and fearless innovation. 🎭 Putahitanga | Convergence Taonga pūoro master Richard Nunns joined forces with Aroha Yates-Smith (voice) and Hamish McKeich (bassoon) in a landmark programme of bicultural collaboration. Featuring Gillian Whitehead’s Hine Te Kakara and world premieres by Philip Brownlee, Lyell Cresswell, and Brigid Bisley. 🌏 Re:location With Susan Ung (viola) and Kate Lineham (voice), this concert explored global voices and cultural crossings — from Chinary Ung’s Still Life after Death to Alison Isadora’s quirky the little baby jesus and the bee, alongside works by Evangelista, Croft, and Sierra. 🇰🇷 Sounds Korean A rare spotlight on contemporary Korean composition, featuring works by Park, Ahn, Boknam Lee, and Chan Hae Lee — with Dylan Lardelli’s Paulownia adding a local voice to the vibrant programme. ⏳ Twentieth-Century Classics: CMNZ Tour Stroma on the road with Ross Harris’ At the edge of silence (commission), George Crumb’s haunting Eleven Echoes of Autumn, and Messiaen’s timeless Quartet for the End of Time — a programme that balanced New Zealand innovation with modern masterworks. ⚡ Velocities II A genre-bending mix of jazz, rock, and avant-garde, featuring Jeff Henderson, Riki Gooch, and David Long alongside Stroma. From John Adams’ Chamber Symphony to Howard Shore’s Naked Lunch (arr. McKeich), with new works by David Downes and David Long, this was Stroma at its most electrified. 🧵 Knitting Dust Rachel Clement’s evocative Knitting Dust set the tone for a programme that wove together Jeroen Speak’s intricate textures, Schoenberg’s monumental Wind Quintet, and John Adams’ kinetic Chamber Symphony. 🎷 Bent Virtuoso saxophonist Lars Mlekusch pushed boundaries in a concert of premieres — including Michael Norris’ Splinter Cells, Chris Watson’s new work, and Dugal McKinnon’s Untitled (Counterfeit Readymade #1)

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2006–07 🎉 From Greek clarinet virtuosity and international festival spotlights, to tributes for Ligeti and the wild textures of Adams, Scelsi, and Norris, Stroma’s 2006–07 seasons were kaleidoscopic in scope. These years brought together world premieres, international guests, and iconic modern works — all pushing our ensemble into new and exhilarating territory. 🎶 Zeibekiko (2006) A festival highlight with Greek clarinet virtuoso Manos Achalinotopoulos, weaving traditional sounds into John Psathas’ Abhisheka and Maenads, alongside Christos Hatzis’ ritual Fertility Rites. A heady blend of ancient modes, dazzling improvisation, and contemporary energy. ✨ Icons of Our Time (2006) Cutting-edge icons Sciarrino, Ferneyhough, Knussen, and Boulez met the lush world premiere of Jack Body’s Rainforest for flute and harp — a programme balancing European modernism with New Zealand imagination. 💡 Lumen (2006) From Bowater’s radiant Lumen to works by Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Kurtág, and John Young, this concert glowed with stark contrasts: meditative lyricism, spiritual searching, and searing intensity. 🌏 Extraordinary Stroma (2007) On the international stage at the Asia Pacific Festival, Stroma championed new voices from Korea, Japan, Israel, Thailand, Austria, and New Zealand, with Richard Haynes’ fiery E-flat clarinet leading the charge. 🎷 Gnarly Buttons (2007) A clarinet extravaganza featuring John Adams’ playful classic, Scelsi’s Kya, and new works by Norris and Watson. Richard Haynes, Petra Stump, Heinzpeter Linshalm, and colleagues turned St Andrew’s into a riot of reeds, clicks, and breath. ⚙️ Mechanica — Tribute to Ligeti (2007) Celebrating Ligeti’s visionary soundworld with Melodien, Hungarian Rock, and Continuum, framed by Norris’ Machine Noises, Lindberg’s Engine, Birtwistle’s perpetual drive, and Carter’s intricate solo guitar — a true kaleidoscope of mechanistic brilliance.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: 2008–09 🎉 From cinematic reinventions to experimental sound worlds, 2008–09 was a period of bold theatricality, wild sonic invention, and collaborations that pushed the edges of performance. 🎬 ChaplinOperas Benedict Mason’s anarchic live score for three Charlie Chaplin silent films (Easy Street, The Adventurer, The Immigrant) transformed slapstick into sonic spectacle — with toys, sirens, coffee grinders, and operatic absurdity. 🥁 Grind Show With percussionists Pedro Carneiro and Jeremy Fitzsimons front and centre, this high-voltage programme spanned Tansy Davies’ grind show (unplugged), John Psathas’ Psyzygysm, and Xenakis’ Psappha, reimagining gesture and sound in thrilling ways. 🔄 Strange Loops Loops, knots, and twists of sound from Grisey, Xenakis, and premieres by David Downes, Samuel Holloway, and Dylan Lardelli — with bass clarinetist Richard Haynes at the heart of the action. 💭 Dreams Fantastical and surreal worlds from Jenny McLeod (Cat Dreams), Gillian Whitehead (Hineteiwaiwa), and David Downes’ Bliss Mechanism — complete with hosepipes as brass instruments — alongside works by Michael Norris and John Rimmer. 🎷 Street Songs From Chris Gendall’s award-winning Wax Lyrical to Jeff Henderson’s game-based UnCage my HeArt! and Sciarrino’s Quaderno di Strada, this concert embraced the theatrical, playful, and unpredictably raw.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: 2010–11 Highlights 🎉 From our first overseas performance to wild collaborations, world premieres, and electrifying solos, 2010–11 marked a thrilling phase of expansion and experimentation for Stroma. 🌏 Musicarama (Hong Kong) Our first international outing saw five Stroma players perform at Hong Kong’s Musicarama Festival — featuring works by Xenakis, Berio, Speak, Norris, Lardelli, and premieres by Chris Hung and Chan Ming-chi. Conducted by Hamish McKeich, joined by Linda Yip and Megan Sterling. 🎤 Pounamu (Wellington) In collaboration with Warren Maxwell and John Psathas, this double performance fused soul-infused songwriting with immersive ensemble textures — capped off with the manic brilliance of John Zorn’s For Your Eyes Only. 🎈 Living Toys Our 10th anniversary celebration: a bold programme including Thomas Adès’ dazzling Living Toys, Xenakis’ Thalleïn, and premieres from Peter Scholes, Alexandra Hay, and Jeroen Speak — with soloists Richard Haynes and Mark Carter. 🔁 Sequences A deep dive into repetition, rhythm, and ritual, this intimate concert featured Berio’s iconic Sequenzas, Xenakis’ Charisma, and works by Rzewski, Chris Gendall, and Ross Harris — with standout performances by Bridget Douglas, Peter Dykes, and Leonard Sakofsky.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2012–13 🎉 Our journey through the archives continues with... 🎭 Pierrot Lunaire Schoenberg’s twisted classic stunned audiences in Wellington and Auckland, with soprano Madeleine Pierard delivering a tour de force. 🎷 Blue Page Saxophonist Adam Page brought funk, loops, and raw energy in a blues-inspired programme featuring new works, video, jazz, and a Monk paraphrase by Michael Norris. 🕰 The Mirror of Time 2 Renaissance masters and contemporary visionaries collided in this genre-defying blend of eras. Works by Cage, Pärt, Adès, Des Prez — plus a premiere by Philip Brownlee. 💥 Event Horizon With percussionist Claire Edwardes front and centre, this dazzling showcase of rhythmic invention featured Steven Mackey’s Micro-concerto, marimba-powered Ligeti, and works by Brophy, Speak, and Isadora. 🎶 Stroma @ Marama Hall A long-awaited return to Dunedin, with new works by Samuel Holloway and music by Michael Norris, Anthony Ritchie, and George Crumb. A concert full of connection — to place, memory, and resonance. 🌄 Luminous Horizon Featuring legendary flutist Roberto Fabbriciani, this programme shimmered with atmospheric works by Saariaho, Sciarrino, Cavallone, and others — a sonic landscape of clouds, mountains, and luminous horizons. 🩰 Timedance In collaboration with filmmaker-choreographer Daniel Belton, Timedance blended Bach, electronics, and imagery in a multisensory meditation on space and motion — performed in Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland. 🖼 Body/Drift & Percussion/Action Intimate gallery performances fused live electronics and amplified clarinet with sculpture, architecture, and movement. Featuring Richard Haynes and new works by McKinnon, Norris, and Essl, these events offered sonic immersion on a miniature scale. 🎻 Chamber of Symphonies A high-impact double bill: Schoenberg’s Op. 9 and the NZ premiere of John Adams’ Son of Chamber Symphony. New works by Margetic, Cree Brown, Holloway, and Lardelli marked a powerful NZ Music Month. 🔍 The Mirror of Time The first instalment of this time-bending series featured early music specialists and modern compositions side by side.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2014–15 🎉 We’re diving further back in time as our countdown continues — to a pair of years full of reflection, resonance, and reinvention. From medieval echoes to Lilburnian tributes, Stroma’s 2014–15 seasons spanned centuries and styles in three compelling programmes. 🎹 Nine Echoes On the centenary of Douglas Lilburn’s birth, we honoured the father of New Zealand composition with nine new works, each responding to his Nine Short Pieces for Piano. Performed by Emma Sayers and conducted by Hamish McKeich, the concert brought together major figures and rising voices in a moving tribute to Lilburn’s enduring legacy. 🏛 Interiors Sound met space in this City Gallery performance of raw sonic invention. Works by Jeroen Speak, Alison Isadora, Jack Body, and Michael Norris transformed the gallery into a chamber of musical curiosity — with everything from foot-played percussion to Bach deconstructions and long-lost field recordings. 🕰 The Mirror of Time 3 A time-travelling concert weaving ancient and modern, with music from 1400 BC to the present. Stroma’s string quartet joined early music specialists Kamala Bain and Rowena Simpson in a programme that paired New Zealand premieres with Medieval and Renaissance works that felt startlingly contemporary. Chris Watson’s new piece received its world premiere in this beautifully immersive series. With thanks to our generous partners, including SOUNZ, the Lilburn Trust, and Creative New Zealand.

🎉 COUNTING DOWN FROM 25: Seasons 2016–17 🎉 After a brief detour through our second and third programmes of 2025, we’re back into the countdown! From battlefield elegies to spectral textures and minimalist pulses, Stroma’s 2016–17 seasons explored sound at its most elemental, electric, and emotionally raw. 💥 Spectral Electric A hypnotic dive into the physicality of sound. Works by Saariaho, Sciarrino, Lockwood, and Ceccarelli filled City Gallery with shimmering overtones and resonant decay, culminating in the premiere of Michael Norris’ throat-singing concerto Sygyt, performed by the electrifying Jonny Marks. 🎼 Maximum Minimalism From Riley’s endlessly evolving In C to the punchy grooves of Julia Wolfe’s Lick, this concert revelled in the bold clarity of minimalist writing. Reich’s Double Sextet and Alison Isadora’s Alt rounded out an evening of rhythmic drive and sharp simplicity. 🌌 Tātai Whetū In a powerful collaboration with Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser, Stroma explored the cosmologies of taonga pūoro. New commissions by Philip Brownlee, Dylan Lardelli, Tristan Carter, and Gillian Whitehead created a contemplative world of breath, stars, and sonic ancestry. 🌺 Brass Poppies Ross Harris and Vincent O’Sullivan’s chamber opera told the story of Gallipoli through the lens of both frontline and homefront. With James Egglestone as Lt-Col. William Malone and Hamish McKeich conducting, this NZ Festival co-production was a poignant reflection on war and memory. With thanks to our collaborators and supporters, including Creative New Zealand, NZ Festival, and the many artists who helped bring these works to life.