THANK YOU FOR JOINING US QUEENSTOWN!

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with the 2025 WHAKATIPU MUSIC FESTIVAL

Weaving together New Zealand’s outstanding emerging artists and international luminaries with local performers, the Whakatipu Music Festival delivered an exhilarating event for every taste and ability. Six incredible public performances were given to appreciative audiences with a week of mentorship for our young artists and training ground practitioners. Private concerts and music workshops for students of all walks of life were shared and enjoyed, not to mention involving the community along the way, culminating in a glorious massed choir plus orchestra for our final performance! What a spectacular week.

2025 Whakatipu Music Festival artists at Lake Whakatipu
PHOTO CREDIT: Sadhbh Ní Chathasaigh

The Whakatipu Music Festival curates opportunities for the next generation(s) of musicians of all ages and stages to learn, rehearse and perform alongside professionals.  Brought to life by a local early-career workforce, the Festival supports and stimulates the arts, cultural and events scene in Tāhuna.

 The 2025 Whakatipu Music Festival was a showcase of extraordinary music from international and Aotearoa’s leading musicians, emerging artists, and local talent. 

We partnered with Choirs Aotearoa, injecting a choral and conducting focus to our sparkling programme.

The Whakatipu Music Festival is held every three years – we will be back in early June 2028!

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: PABLO HERRERO AND SADHBH NÍ CHATHASAIGH

WATCH ALL OF OUR CONCERTS ON THE WHAKATIPU MUSIC FESTIVAL YOUTUBE

The Festival Comprises of Three Interconnecting Parts

High-Performance Artists

Six incredible performances took place over Easter weekend 2025, bringing industry professionals and emerging Aotearoa artists to Tāhuna/Queenstown. Over one week, five world-renowned festival artists mentored and developed twelve exceptional young New Zealand musicians (18-26) with careers already spanning internationally.

Community Opportunities

Julian Smiles teaching a string workshop

This year local music students learnt from our exceptionally professional musicians in open workshops, a mass community choir brought together singers from all over the Whakatipu basin, private performances in lifestyle villages, and a poetry reading at QLDC library!

Training Ground

TomTom Productions Training Ground crew

The Whakatipu Music Festival utilises the local workforce and strictly employs early career practitioners to put on the festival with mentorship and support from experienced local professionals.

Founder of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition has died

A tribute to Sir Michael Hill KNZM (1938-2025) New Zealand has lost one of her favourite sons and the international violin community has lost one of its greatest champions. On 29 July, 2025, Sir Michael died peacefully at his home in Arrowtown. He was surrounded by his family including his wife of 60 years, Christine, Lady…

AND THAT’S A WRAP! 2025 Whakatipu Music Festival

2025 Whakatipu Music Festival AND THAT’S A WRAP! Thank you for the music. A whole week of activities! Six incredible and diverse concerts, private performances at lifestyle homes and at STARKWHITE gallery, workshops for students at all walks of life, and performances from incredible local performers! Our young artists gained incredible mentorship and support from our industry…

WHAKATIPUMUSICFESTIVAL ON INSTAGRAM

Instagram Gallery

The international violin community has lost one of its greatest champions. Today, our founder, Sir Michael Hill, died peacefully at his home in Arrowtown, New Zealand. He was surrounded by his family including his wife of 60 years, Christine, Lady Hill. 

Not only did Sir Michael lend his name to our iconic event, he inspired generations of international violinists who all know they are now members of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition whānau (family).

Michael dreamed of being a concert violinist in his youth, but his family steered him into the jewellery trade and he instead became a household name with Michael Hill stores across New Zealand, Australia and Canada. He was a true artist with a keen eye for aesthetics and beauty, and an uncompromising standard of excellence. A committed amateur violinist, he practiced solo Bach every day his schedule allowed – constantly striving for improvement from which he derived enormous satisfaction. 

Michael’s enthusiasm for music was infectious, yet his loss will be felt as much for the strong and practical advice he infused in hundreds of musicians by candidly sharing his own life lessons regarding the importance of goal setting, resilience, and the balance of being laser-focused yet not sweating the small stuff. He taught us to dream big, set a long-term goal, and work very hard with imagination and open heartedness towards that goal every day. 

In this video - "To Sir Michael, in loving memory" - Bach's Chaconne is played by all 11 winners of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition - Joseph Lin, Natalia Lomeiko, Ning Feng, Bella Hristova, Josef Špaček, Sergey Malov, Nikki Chooi, Suyeon Kang, Ioana Cristina Goicea, Anna Do Gyung Im and Yeyeong Jin.

Bach's Chaconne in D minor, the final movement of Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita No. 2 for solo violin, is a monumental and emotionally profound piece, often interpreted as a meditation on grief and loss.

The winners created this video as a tribute to Sir Michael who played a significant role in their lives and careers. It is a remarkable coming-together of some of the now most respected violinists in the world.
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Welcoming two incredible conductors to Whakatipu.

Euan is a New Zealand-born orchestra conductor, chorus master and collaborative pianist. In 2024 he studied at @elderconservatorium where he is now a conductor and pianist. Euan has worked with @the_aso, State Opera South Australia and @adelaidefestival. He is also part of the 2025 Australian Conducting Academy.

“Music is all about collaboration. To be able to perform with terrific players and work with prominent guest artists will be so rewarding.” 

Hailing from the deep south, Reuben Brown completed his honours @vicuniwgtn_nzsm. Reuben is the 2025 NZ Assistant Conductor-in-Residence where he will debut with the @aklphil, @christchurchsymphonyorchestra and @dunedinsymphonyorchestra assisting resident and visiting conductors. 

"Over the past few months, I’ve been honing my skills with Auckland Philharmonia and I’m eager to put them to good use with this exciting cohort of musicians.” 

Read more at Keep Up With the Play. Link in bio.
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Alongside performing as our countertenor, Austin Haynes will read their translations of Shakespeare into te reo at Frankton Library on Thursday 17 April at 5:30pm. 

Opera singer, poet and te reo Māori scholar Austin Haynes is on a bold mission - to translate all 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets into te reo Māori!

Join him for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of moving between languages, literary traditions and for a reflection on what te reo Māori can reveal about the Bard.

This is a free event.
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