Crump's Classical Conversation

Young pianist Lana Ritchie explains how her father's purchase of an electric keyboard for their Tawa home changed her life. Watch the Kapustin “Jazz” concerto Lana would love to play here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Australian composer Dr Natalie Nicolas has been studying the link between music, calm and catharsis; does she have a magic formula? PS: We've got some candidates in the episode details. Try this cathartic music by Max Richter. A calming number by Natalie. Cathartic and calming? Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rachel Weston was a child actor, made it to the final of the Mobil Song Quest, and she continues to blaze her own unique trail as a musician in London. Watch a bit of Children of Fire Mountain here. Rachel sings a number from The Sound of Music. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

German musician Tanja Tetzlaff explains why she took her cello onto a glacier. Watch Tanja playing on thinning ice here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

World famous in Rotorua, the New Zealand Aria competition is 80 years old. We speak to the woman keeping it going in an age when arts funding is hard to find. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As Indian Kiwis prepare to celebrate one of their biggest festivals of the year we speak to Basant Madhur, Indian classical music trailblazer in Aotearoa. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

To mark World Stroke Day on October 29th; stroke treatment by stealth. Christchurch music therapist, Esther Simpson, explains how music enables stroke survivors to rehab without realising it. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rae de Lisle learnt how injury can curtail a pianist's career the hard way, now she passes on those lessons to a new generation of New Zealand musicians. Listen to Rae playing Ravel here. Look at Rae’s website. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Younger people may not know it, but they're flocking to classical music. John Mietus is conducting Armageddon Live; an orchestral fest of music from comics, sci-fi, fantasy and gaming. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Opera singer, teacher, conductor Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo is bringing her knowledge and love of the Pasifika choral tradition to the country's biggest choir festival. Watch Robert Wiremu's stunning arrangement of "Whakaaria Mai" with Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo singing mezzo soprano here Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Ahead of directing the NZSO, New Zealand conductor Tianyi Lu talks about what she's learned since becoming a working mother with the birth of her son. Watch Tianyi conducting Tchaikovsky here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason speaks with us ahead of her debut the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra tonight. Watch Isata in an NPR Tiny Desk concert. Watch the family playing here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Vocal coach and Auckland choir conductor Claire Caldwell works her magic on budding singers from the piano. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Visiting Russian born musician Anastasia Kobenika is a free spirit. She's recently taken to leaving her shoes behind when performing on stage. She tells us why. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Shortland Street composer William Philipson's latest gig is writing music for "After God" a new play by Stuart McKenzie about life, the universe and everything. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Thomas Hamill wants to get the Auckland Philharmonia in your face - in a nice way. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Composer Natalie Hunt supported herself during her student years with data entry jobs - she even wrote a piece about it. Now she's won the 2026 SOUNZ commission for Orchestra and Sistema Youth Orchestra, writing music for people at the start of their musical journey. Watch the NZ String Quartet play Natalie Hunt's Data Entry Groove. Read about the concert Natalie's SOUNZ piece will play...

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina forced him to leave, New Orleans streetband Rebirth Brass keeps Keith Frazier in touch with his hometown. Rebirth Brass funk it up . Keith’s back left with the flathead screwdriver. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Meet Isaac Stone and Virginie Pacheco co-directors of the vibrant Wellington choir Supertonic. Watch Supertonic sing a little bit of Rossini here Watch Supertonic sing Maisey Rika here Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Soprano Katherine Winitana talks about the aerobatics required to be part of the music at this year's World of Wearable Arts Show. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Australian guitarist Slava Grigoryan and his cellist wife Sharon will be star performers at this year's Martinborough Music Festival. Watch Slava and Sharon Grigoryan perform together .  Martinborough Music Festival 2026 Programme . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Inside Out, RNZ's weekly jazz programme is ten. We celebrate with its host Nick Tipping. Listen to the latest Inside Out here . Watch Nick making jazz here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

West coast raised violinist Manu Berkeljon gave up her career in Sweden to provide her two children with a New Zealand upbringing. She talks about making a go of being a solo mum and a professional musician back in Aotearoa. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Music is the best medicine? The New Zealand Doctors' Orchestra thinks so. We speak to Rural GP and piano soloist Dr Ben Booker. More about the NZ Doctor’s Orchestra and its concerts here. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Ariana Tikao talks about the many strands of her musical life; from Kapa Haka to western classical music, from Taonga Pūoro to the Appalachian Dulcimer. Watch a performance of Manaaki here . Watch He Poroporoaki here Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details