Today marks the beginning of the third New Zealand Chinese Language Week. So it’s a good time to get a primer on some of the basics. Language teacher Chunxiao Lu has been helping RNZ presenters up their skills, and she was kind enough to help to brainstorm a new name for Eva Radich. Chunxio also tells us about the history of the dialects, and its connection to other languages – including Te Reo.

Tony Ryan joined the sold out crowd at Wigram Airforce Museum on Saturday for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s Ode to Joy featuring Beethoven’s famous 9th Symphony and his less well known Violin Concerto. How well did it live up to expectations?

GALS, the Auckland Gay and Lesbian choir is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an event that highlights an important issue for Auckland: homelessness. The choir will perform The Street Requiem composed back in 2014 to help Melbourne communities struggling with homelessness and street violence.  Composer and conductor Kathleen McGuire has worked for social justice all her life. She was based in San Francisco for many years and talks about the growing problem of homelessness and the importance of individual action.

The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra presents a Beethoven feast with its Ode to Joy concert this weekend amongst the planes at the Airforce Museum in Christchurch. More than 200 performers lead by Chief Conductor Benjamin Northey gather their forces for this joyous night. Soloist Martin Riseley provides the gourmet element with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.

Tui award winning singer/songwriter Donna Dean is in the spotlight for “The Sound of Her Guitar”, a documentary following her journey from state houses in Auckland’s Glenn Innes to Texas clubs performing country music. She joins us to discuss the film created by Bill Morris, how she found her voice in country music, and how winning three Tuis changed her life.

Acclaimed Irish singer/songwriter Declan O’Rourke is a man of many skills. The acclaimed story teller guitarist has broken through those barriers  dividing pop, rock and classical. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the business, and has orchestrated his own music – without any formal classical training. He’s playing in Wellington and Nelson this weekend.

Belgium pianist Jef Neve is bringing his jazz fusion music to the Auckland Jazz Festival this week. He’s currently touring Australia and New Zealand with his jazz trio combined with a string quartet playing original material. His latest CD has featured on the Belgian pop charts all year; the high class playing sits easily within pop, jazz and contemporary classical genre.

Music should be fun, and the Andrew London Trio puts the enjoyment into it with their original arrangements. The trio is half way through a national wide tour as part of Arts on Tour NZ taking in 23 venues. Nothing is out of reach for the group who cover everything from the shearing shed of Southland to male insecurities presented with a folk, blues, country and hip hop vibe and some 1940’s swing.

The Auckland Youth Orchestra, along with soloist Rebecca Lee is on the road performing an organ concerto written especially for them.  Composer John Wells has created the work for Rebecca to play either on digital or pipe organ. He explains the technicalities and why Lee was the perfect soloist and what organ associations are doing to attract the next generation to this music.

The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra continues to make classical music accessible through their Unwrapping concerts. Tonight the APO performs a section of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No 2, giving the audience a taste of what to expect in their upcoming Fire Music concert. Conductor Guy Noble deconstructs how Brahms created his symphonic scale concerto.