John-Paul Muir presents Home Now Album Launch

Thursday 5 December 2024

7:30 - 9:30pm

The Arts House Trust at Pah Homestead

Award-winning London based NZ pianist and composer John-Paul Muir launches his landmark new album “Home Now” (Ubuntu Music, UK) live with a local all-star band.

‘Home Now’ showcases Muir’s lyrical compositional style in a set of five pieces with expressive playing of both delicate beauty and overflowing ecstasy. The first three tracks feature a collaboration with lyricist Anjali Bhat, with Muir’s classical heritage coming to the fore in the impressionistic opener ‘Sunlight’, a captivating portrayal of a romantic encounter, whilst the title track explores the process of finding peace in the home within ourselves.

CD’s will be available for purchase. Line-up:

Bex Peterson (voice)

Pete France (sax)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

Olivier Holland (double-bass)

Ron Samsom (drums)

John-Paul Muir bio:

John-Paul Muir has established himself as one of the finest pianists to emerge from New Zealand in recent years and certainly one of the most versatile, equally at home in both classical, jazz and contemporary genres.

After completing studies at the University of Auckland with Rae de Lisle and Kevin Field, John- Paul moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He has since graduated with distinction from their Artist Masters Programme and is currently enjoying a freelance career based in London. He has performed throughout New Zealand, the USA, and the United Kingdom. Highlights include performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and several concert series at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the Royal Over-Seas League concert programme in both classical and jazz settings. He was featured as the oﬃcial pianist for the New Zealand exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 2011, where he performed daily for a week as part of the opening festivities.

John-Paul is the Senior Programme Manager of the Bloomsbury Festival, an annual 10-day arts festival held in October featuring over one hundred events across Bloomsbury. His debut solo piano record featuring original compositions and improvisations, the Cornerstone Suite, was released in November 2019 after a premiere at the London Jazz Festival.