Five Lines is a collection of writings about music in Aotearoa New Zealand by Elizabeth Kerr. It features short articles, artist profiles and reviews of concerts, operas and albums. You can subscribe - it’s free - at the bottom of any story.
Shostakovich: the musical legacy of a humanitarian artist
Reviewing 6 concerts by Orchestra Wellington and the NZ String Quartet, writer Elizabeth Kerr finds some answers to big questions about Shostakovich’s artistic and personal role in Soviet Russia.
Shostakovich: music for troubled times
Marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Shostakovich, New Zealand musicians are playing his music. Does it provide the greatest insight into a major 20th century composer?