Taonga puoro researcher, player and crafter Alistair Fraser in the RNZ studio with a hoard of different Maori instruments and a looping pedal plays a live session and shows how the taonga puoro come to life in his hands.

Indie-folk singer Mel Parsons secured the top song prize at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in early June. She won the Best Country Music Song for her track Alberta Sun.

Matthew Salapu - aka hip-hop artist Anonymouz - talks to Tim Dodd about the soundscape Resample Guåhån, which he created for the Festival of Pacific Arts that's just recently been held in Guam. The soundscape, along with its accompanying film, will be presented at the Auckland Art Gallery Auditorium tomorrow night.

Nisha Madhan and Julia Croft are just two of the cast for Indian Ink's latest original play The Elephant Thief. Inspired by a trip to India, this piece looks into a future where the last elephant on earth is destined to be India's first elephant in space. Nisha and Julia play some of the larger-than-life characters in this unique look at humankind's effect on this planet.

Being part of a musical is a dream for many performers. But that dream comes with sacrifices. Juliette Sivertsen goes behind the curtain at Evita in Auckland to discover the true - financial, personal, social and professional - cost of being a musical theatre actor in New Zealand.

Can I touch the art work? Is it OK to eat in an art gallery? Why shouldn't I wear bulky clothes? Upbeat producer Zoe George paints an etiquette picture with Erika McClintock from City Gallery in Wellington.

Freelance piano teacher, and choral conductor Mark Stamper is starting his own professional choir, Inspirare in Wellington. He wants to give others the sort of opportunities provided to him to grow as a person and an artist through music.

Adjudicator of The Big Sing's Northern regional festival on the selection process for choirs who will go through to the National Final in Dunedin in August.

Veteren NZ performer celebrating her stellar career by touring with her current group The Lady Killers

Peter Mechen reviews Orchestra Wellington's season opening "Odes to Joy" concert on Saturday.