Shows / Crump's Classical Conversation
Crump's Classical Conversation
Join Bryan Crump, RNZ Concert host, singer & choir director as he shares the love of classical music with guests from Aotearoa & around the world. It's a classical conversation in more ways than one.
Episodes
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Diwali Downunder
As Indian Kiwis prepare to celebrate one of their biggest festivals of the year we speak to Basant Madhur, Indian classical music trailblazer in Aotearoa. Go…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Stroke recovery with a song
To mark World Stroke Day on October 29th; stroke treatment by stealth. Christchurch music therapist, Esther Simpson, explains how music enables stroke…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Rae de Lisle
Rae de Lisle learnt how injury can curtail a pianist's career the hard way, now she passes on those lessons to a new generation of New Zealand musicians…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Directing Armageddon
Younger people may not know it, but they're flocking to classical music. John Mietus is conducting Armageddon Live; an orchestral fest of music from comics…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo and the gift of Pasifika song
Opera singer, teacher, conductor Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo is bringing her knowledge and love of the Pasifika choral tradition to the country's biggest choir…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Tianyi Lu
Ahead of directing the NZSO, New Zealand conductor Tianyi Lu talks about what she's learned since becoming a working mother with the birth of her son. Watch…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Isata Kanneh-Mason
Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason speaks with us ahead of her debut the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra tonight. Watch Isata in an NPR Tiny Desk concert. Watch the…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Coaching from the Keyboard
Vocal coach and Auckland choir conductor Claire Caldwell works her magic on budding singers from the piano. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
- Crump's Classical Conversation
The barefoot cellist
Visiting Russian born musician Anastasia Kobenika is a free spirit. She's recently taken to leaving her shoes behind when performing on stage. She tells us…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
The answer's not 42
Shortland Street composer William Philipson's latest gig is writing music for "After God" a new play by Stuart McKenzie about life, the universe and…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Breaking out of the Concert Hall
Thomas Hamill wants to get the Auckland Philharmonia in your face - in a nice way. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
- Crump's Classical Conversation
From 'Data Entry' to entry level
Composer Natalie Hunt supported herself during her student years with data entry jobs - she even wrote a piece about it. Now she's won the 2026 SOUNZ…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Forever New Orleans
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina forced him to leave, New Orleans streetband Rebirth Brass keeps Keith Frazier in touch with his hometown. Rebirth Brass…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
The heros of Supertonic
Meet Isaac Stone and Virginie Pacheco co-directors of the vibrant Wellington choir Supertonic. Watch Supertonic sing a little bit of Rossini here Watch…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Singing from the rafters
Soprano Katherine Winitana talks about the aerobatics required to be part of the music at this year's World of Wearable Arts Show. Go to this episode on…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Slava Grigoryan
Australian guitarist Slava Grigoryan and his cellist wife Sharon will be star performers at this year's Martinborough Music Festival. Watch Slava and Sharon…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Nick Tipping - the inside story
Inside Out, RNZ's weekly jazz programme is ten. We celebrate with its host Nick Tipping. Listen to the latest Inside Out here. Watch Nick making jazz here. Go…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Manu Berkeljon: bringing the family home
West coast raised violinist Manu Berkeljon gave up her career in Sweden to provide her two children with a New Zealand upbringing. She talks about making a go…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Musical medics
Music is the best medicine? The New Zealand Doctors' Orchestra thinks so. We speak to Rural GP and piano soloist Dr Ben Booker. More about the NZ Doctor’s…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Ariana Tikao - between worlds
Ariana Tikao talks about the many strands of her musical life; from Kapa Haka to western classical music, from Taonga Pūoro to the Appalachian Dulcimer. Watch…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Sam Auger goes back to school.
Sam Auger, from the Wellington International Ukelele Orchestra, helps the Martinborough Music Festival with a songwriting project for the district's school…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Filipe Manu; back with the old school choir
Tongan New Zealand star tenor Filipe Manu is back in New Zealand to sing in Bizet's The Pearl Fishers with NZ Opera. But he's also got a date with his old…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Introducing the Theorbo
George Wills introduces us to his theorbo; the grand-daddy of the lute family. Unpacking a theorbo Watch a bit of Kapsberger here! Go to this episode on…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Dolfin-Lin Duo
Chinese-New Zealand pianist Tony Chen-Lin is back in the country, and he's brought a cellist friend with him, Hungarian Balázs Dolfin. Together they are the…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Patrick Barry goes solo
NZSO principal clarinet Patrick Barry is coming down to the front of the stage to play Copland's Clarinet Concerto. Watch a performance of Copland’s Clarinet…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Girl Power with Lana Law.
Christchurch's All Girl Big Band is ten years old. We celebrate with its founder Lana Law. Watch the All Girl Big Band in action here. Go to this episode on…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Heart felt music
Kate Goldstone, musician and a cardiac anaesthetist, talks about the link between music, emotion and the heart. The heartbeat opening of Mahler’s 9th symphony…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Stéphane Denève conducts John Williams.
The movie music of John Williams is a film star in its own right. Stéphane Denève is in the country to conduct the Auckland Philharmonia in two concerts of…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Gao Ping; Chinese music made in New Zealand.
It's over a decade since Chinese composer Gao Ping returned home after teaching at Canterbury University, but his ties with Aotearoa remain strong. He was back…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Bass trombone's time to shine.
He cut his musical teeth in Columbian street bands. These days Christchurch Symphony Orchestra principal bass trombonist Pablo Ruiz Henao is happy to take a…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Peau Halapua blazes her own trail
Tongan violinist Peau Halapua's love of classical music hasn't overshadowed the love she has for her own culture. Listen to the violinist who captivated a…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Romain Dumas; a shining light in the orchestra pit
Orchestra and chorus members agree; Romain Dumas is a lovely conductor to work with. We were charmed too when we spoke with him during his stint directing…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
From across the wide Missouri
One of America's finest youth choirs comes to sing with some of our best. Between gigs Bryan catches up with the Cameron LaBarr, music director of the Missouri…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Keith Moss goes to Vienna
Composer Keith Moss talks to us about his big break, getting to write an opera for Vienna's Summer Music Festival. Listen to Keith's Overture for an…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Opetaia Foa'i joins the billionaires' club
A billion streams and counting. Pasifika composer Opetaia Foa'i talks about the phenomenal success of his Moana hit 'We Know The Way'. Watch a video of "We…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Martin Smith: The NZ String Quartet's new cellist
After spending most of this century working with some of the best orchestras in Europe, Australian cellist Martin Smith is back down under with the NZ String…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Pietari Inkinen; to Bayreuth and back.
It's been a busy 11 years since former NZSO music director Pietari Inkinen was last with the band, including directing Wagner's Ring Cycle at Bayreuth, and…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Norman Meehan; Little Prayers
Norman Meehan has been setting the poetry of Bill Manhire to music for vocalist Hannah Griffin to sing since 2010. Their fifth and latest collaboration; Little…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono: All in the family
He's one of four opera singing brothers from the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere taking on the world. We speak with baritone Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono before he…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Alphorn fever
Darrell Daglish is an alphorn fanatic - all three and half metres of it. This is the story of how he realised the dream of bringing his own Swiss made Alphorn…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Between the Lines at the Library
Wellington Central Library has a new concert series for lovers of music and literature. We spoke to librarian and organiser Corrina Connor about "Between the…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Phillip Rhodes; good guy playing the villain.
He's from Hawkes Bay but he lives in Wales, he likes playing bad guys but off stage he's trying to be the best dad he can. We speak to Kiwi baritone Phillip…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Shan Liu - teenage prodigy
He's still got a year and a half of school to go, but the 16 year old Auckland pianist Shan Liu already has a gig with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Amina Edris
She's one half of New Zealand's opera power couple, and soprano Amina Edris is back in Aotearoa with her husband Pene Pati to sing the title role in Massenet's…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Luka Venter goes to London
Composer, singer and conductor Luka Venter is one of only two people to make it into the Royal Academy of Music's postgraduate conducting programme Go to this…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Funny notes strike a chord
She was drawn to his writing because it's intelligent and silly; like her music. Eve de Castro Robinson's first work as 2026 composer in residence at Douglas…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Catherine Anderson: Local Hero
Back in the UK, English born organist Catherine Anderson met a Timaru organ builder. Now she's a force of nature in the South Canterbury music scene. Check out…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
David Long in Hollywood
He's one of New Zealand's finest guitarists, but these days you're just as likely to hear David Long's music on the screen - large and small. In fact, the…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Frederica Von Stade
American opera singer Frederica Von Stade is the star judge for this year's Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest. Ahead of the big night she shared a sparkling…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
A whare's story
Mataatua wharenui, the stolen meeting house. Ngāti Awa built it in the 1870s in Whakatāne, then lent it to the Crown for an exhibition in Australia. It took a…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
String playing sisterhood
The 2026 NZSO National Youth Orchestra dazzled audiences in Auckland and Wellington this month. Bryan spoke to couple of the crew, sisters Portia and Indiana…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
A Dialogue with Julien Van Mellaerts.
Kiwi baritone Julien Van Mellaerts has an album out, "Dialogues" singing Schubert along with music by his friend (and current Master of the Kings Music)…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Gil Shaham's Aotearoa debut
Apart from the odd stay in a transit lounge, American violinist Gil Shaham's never visited New Zealand. We spoke with Gil ahead of his New Zealand debut…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Mt Eden Tribute
This year's Mt Eden Chamber Music Festival is a tribute to two leading lights of New Zealand classical music who've died this year; violinist Mary O'Brien and…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Taping into the hive mind
Peter Hobbs has been making music with bees. The Auckland sound artist and composer tells us how he used recordings of the insects as the raw material for his…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Mid-western invasion
American conductor Mark Russell Smith is the leader of probably the largest band coming to Aotearoa this year; the 126 strong Greater Twin Cities Youth…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Skyla Murray
Young Dunedin violinist Skyla Murray decided to do her university study in Finland and it's paying off. She spoke to us about all day sun, saunas, Finnish…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Tui Mamaki and Medena
Tui Mamaki shares her love of Bulgarian song with her all female choir Medena, recorded in RNZ's Auckland studio. Medena sings a song of Bulgarian independence…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Handy on and off the stage
Australian baritone James Clayton is a jack of all trades. He took time out from opera to drive a truck during the Covid pandemic. Luckily for opera lovers…
- Crump's Classical Conversation
Something she prepared earlier
New York pianist Kelly Moran sometimes performs on a "prepared" piano. That's when you put nuts and bolts on the strings to change the sound. She's no slouch…