At the World's Edge Festival 2023

AWE Festival 2023

7-20 October | Queenstown Lakes

At the World’s Edge Festival is a classical music festival inspired by its roots in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. With spectacular sounds against majestic scapes, experience a new dimension of chamber music in New Zealand alongside internationally renowned musicians, lifelong enthusiasts, and curious adventurers alike. 

A journey spanning six programmes across Queenstown, Wānaka, Bannockburn and Cromwell, each exploring the many dimensions, influences and perspectives at play within a composer’s musical identity. 

Take your place at the AWE Festival this October, and discover the raw beauty of classical music in New Zealand. 

Six Festival Programmes:

SONO  |  Sat 7 Oct  |  4pm & 7pm  |  Te Atamira, Queenstown | $65

Launching the 2023 festival, Sono is the Portuguese word describing the cerebral feeling of wanting to be or trying to get back to sleep. Here begins our exploration of identity, with three composers defining their musical voice on their own terms.

Samuel Barber String Quartet in b minor, op.11
Victoria Kelly Sono for piano trio
York Bowen Horn Quintet in c minor, op.85

HOMMÀGE  |  Sun 8 Oct  |  2pm & 5pm  |  Coronation Hall, Bannockburn | $65

With AWE’s first visit to Bannockburn, Hommàge explores composers that look back to inspire new innovations. We also hear the first sounds of Czech music running through this year’s festival - a uniting force for the Czech Republic in defining their national identity.

Johannes Brahms Academic Festival Overture in c minor, op.80 arranged for piano, four hands
Victoria Kelly Goodnight Kiwi for solo piano
György Ligeti Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (Hommage à Brahms)
Antonín Dvorák Piano Quintet No.2 in A major, op.81

MUZIKÁLNÍ |  Thur 12 Oct  |  6pm  |  Cloudy Bay Shed, Cromwell | $130 - SOLD OUT

Muzikální (muzɪkaːlɲi - music or musical in Czech) presents an evening of music and wine that explores the roots of Bohemian and Moravian music through three centuries. This programme also introduces the NZ Premiere of esteemed British composer Nicola LeFanu’s new work for horn, violin and cello, After Ferrara. Its namesake and inspiration, Ferrara is a village high in the Catalan Pyrenees, known for its quiet and solitude in an expansive landscape - not unlike the Cloudy Bay Shed itself. During the evening, Festival Director Justine Cormack will also host a lively Q&A with Composer in Residence, Victoria Kelly.

Antonín Dvorák Terzetto in C major, op.74
Heinrich Biber Passacaglia ‘The Guardian Angel’ for solo violin
Nicola LeFanu Trio for violin, cello and horn (NZ Premiere)
Josef Suk Melodie for two violins
Zoltán Kodaly Intermezzo for string trio
Bohuslav Martinu Three Madrigals, H.313 for violin and viola

IMMEMORIAL  |  Fri 13 Oct  |  8pm  |  Te Atamira, Queenstown | $65

Immemorial features emotionally powerful works taking inspiration from the past, from Alfred Schnittke to Arvo Pärt. Many of these works profoundly influenced this year’s Composer in Residence, Victoria Kelly.

With music that encourages reflection and memorialises important moments, ideas and people, Immemorial explores the power of dreams from ancient Greece to the present day. The programme takes us on a journey that leaves us close to where we began, but this time, looking to infinity.

Arvo Pärt Passacaglia for violin and piano
Alfred Schnittke Piano Quintet
Georgina Palmer, AWE 2023 Emerging Composer new work for horn, violin and cello
Victoria Kelly Piece for violin and piano 
Eleanor Alberga Shining Gate of Morpheus for horn and string quartet 
Arvo Pärt Spiegel im Spiegel for violin and piano

HOMELAND |  Sat 14 Oct  |  4pm & 7pm  |  Rippon, Wānaka | $65

The final weekend begins with Homeland, further exploring cultural dimensions and the role music played in helping define Czech national identity during a time of great geopolitical turbulence.
We encounter a work that brings together elements of eastern and western culture, a melting pot of influences into a multi-dimensional tapestry by the broadly celebrated composer, Tan-Dun.

Antonín Dvorák String Quartet No.8 in E major, op.80
Tan Dun Eight Colors for String Quartet
Bedrich Smetana String Quartet No.1 in e minor "From My Life”

MANIFESTO  |  Sun 15 Oct  |  2pm & 5pm  |  Rippon, Wānaka | $65

Manifesto takes us to the pinnacle of our journey and marks the end of the AWE Festival for another year. Leoš Janáček’s “Intimate Letters” begins the programme, a Czech piece exploring Janáček’s manifesto on love and bringing together personal and cultural dimensions. Victoria Kelly introduces her brand new AWE commission for horn, violin and cello, before Tchaikovsky’s joyful remembrance of a summer in Florence brings our programme, and Festival, to a close.

Leoš Janáček String Quartet No.2 "Intimate Letters"
Victoria Kelly AWE 2023 Commission for horn, violin and cello
Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyVospominaniya o Florentsii (Souvenir de Florence), op.70

Festival Artists:

Benjamin Baker (NZ/UK), Violin
Justine Cormack (NZ), Violin
Vesa-Matti Leppänen (Finland/NZ), Violin
Marike Krupp (Estonia/UK), Violin
Jordan Bak (USA), Viola
Tobias Breider (Germany/Australia), Viola
Alice Neary (UK), Cello
Rolf Gjelsten (USA/NZ), Cello
Jack Moyer (NZ), Cello
Benjamin Goldscheider (UK), French Horn
Jian Liu (China/NZ), Piano
Otis Prescott-Mason (NZ), Piano

Composer in Residence:

Victoria Kelly (NZ)

Visit www.worldsedgefestival.com for further programme details, full artist information, multiple free performances and events to deepen the AWE experience and more...