New Zealand String Quartet at Waiheke Musical Museum

A most welcome return of the New Zealand String Quartet to Waiheke Musical Museum – programme details coming soon.

About Waiheke Musical Museum:
The Museum was founded in 1996 by Lloyd and Joan Whittaker who, for years, had collected musical instruments from second hand shops, antique dealers and various old sheds located all around New Zealand. Lloyd was a talented musician who played a variety of instruments from an early age. He was also a consummate restorer of these instruments. When the couple moved from New Plymouth to Waiheke Island in 1996, they brought their collection with them and, with help from the community, started the Museum at Artworks in Oneroa. It moved into the current space in the same venue in 2000. Lloyd and Joan presented their Live Show there together every Saturday afternoon until their retirement in 2019 aged 87 and 90.

Prior to this, in 2007, the Waiheke Musical Museum Charitable Trust was formed to ensure the preservation and ongoing management of the collection. While some instruments were gifted to the Trust by the Whittakers, many of the larger or more valuable instruments were purchased from them by individuals and Community organisations and donated back to the Trust. The centrepiece is world famous Polish musician Paderewski’s 1897 Bechstein Concert Grand piano, brought to NZ in 1904 for his Australasian Tour, and still used for many of the Museum’s concerts.

In addition to these performances by invited musicians of both National and International renown, the Museum is open to visitors, available for educational music workshops and offers special guided Group Tours by prior arrangement.

It is the only “Live” Musical Museum of its kind in New Zealand. In fact, as many international visitors have said, it is rare to find a working, visitor friendly, “hands on” Museum of this quality anywhere in the world.


About New Zealand String Quartet:
Over the past 37 years the Quartet has established an international reputation for its insightful interpretations, compelling communication, and dynamic performing style.

The NZSQ provides dynamic and high-quality musical experiences for all New Zealanders embracing the fresh and familiar. Over the past 37 years the Quartet has established an international reputation for its insightful interpretations, compelling communication, and dynamic performing style. The NZSQ provides dynamic and high-quality musical experiences for all New Zealanders embracing the fresh and familiar.

The Quartet’s rich repertoire includes a wide variety of New Zealand music, composers’ cycles from Beethoven to Bartok, Mozart to Berg, and theatrical presentations encompassing spoken word and dance, from Haydn’s Seven Last Words to Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night. The NZSQ proudly champions New Zealand and Māori music and artists as cultural ambassadors at home and abroad. Since its inception, the Quartet has premiered over 150 New Zealand works, and now works closely with its Mātanga Ngā Toi Māori, taonga pūoro player Horomona Horo.

The NZSQ takes a leadership and advocacy role in advancing music education. Devoted teachers and mentors, all members of the Quartet teach at the New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī where the NZSQ has been Quartet-in-Residence since 1991, as well as running the Adam Chamber Music School in Nelson. The NZSQ runs the NZSM Chamber Music Intensive Weekend in Wellington for up-and-coming chamber musicians, and regularly mentors students from Sistema programmes across the country.

The three longest serving members of the Quartet have each been awarded the MNZM honour for services to music in New Zealand.