Australian singers Henry Choo and Warwick Fyfe talk about the joy of finally standing up to sing in 'Odes to Joy' with Orchestra Wellington tomorrow after sitting through forty minutes of Beethoven's revolutionary symphony.

Violinist Natalia Lomeiko flies in to play as part of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra's 50th anniversary this weekend. She talks about juggling the demands of chamber music, her concert master position and teaching with motherhood.

Wellington Jazz Festival is a mecca for local players to get together for dozens of free events. Bass player Nick Tipping has multiple gigs including recreating two classic albums Charles Mingus' 1959 recording Ah Um and John Coltrane's Sound released in 1964.

NZTrio's Loft series has been so popular the group is extending the series with new commissions and collaborations. Each concert touches on a different theme. Violinist Justine Cormack and composer Chris Watson discuss Zoom this weekend which features Watson's Schemata. Part two of the Loft series is called Glow and will include Gareth Farr's Forbidden Colours while Flare will feature tenor Simon O'Neill.

It's been six months since Jess Hindin took the lead at Sistema Aotearoa as the musical director overseeing musical education and social development of the young South Auckland players. The talented violinist explains why encouraging children from Otara to pick up an instrument can be a life changing experience.

The Wellington Jazz Festival opened last night to a full Opera House with headline act 82 year old American saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. Norman Meehan explains whether the legendary performer still has enough puff to blow the crowds away.

This weekend Auckland Choral will take the audience on a journey through English folk music from the 1500s until the 1980s. Musical Director Uwe Grodd will also play a favourite tune on his flute and soprano Morag Atchison will add her voice to the choir, marking 20 years since her debut with the choir.

Jazz guitarist Larry Koonse is a popular musician for hire by big names. The Los Angeles born guitarist has been playing since the age of seven and has featured on more than 100 albums. Larry is in New Zealand for the Wellington Jazz Festival to play with the Tom Warrington Trio alongside jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson tomorrow night.

Feature film director Lee Tamahori, famed for James Bond and Once Were Warriors, has been using his long form knowledge to judge the short form, for the New Zealand International Film Festival's Short Film Competition.

Have you ever considered what your brain does when you interact with music? Can music help us recover from illness? Professor Warren Tate from the University of Otago is a geneticist with an interest in Alzheimer's disease. He discusses how music helps restore memories, motor skills, emotions and reward centres in the brain.