About Stroma

Stroma is an artistic team combining musicians at the highest standards of excellence in New Zealand. It is committed to engaging audiences with the music of living composers. At the core of this team lies the creative brilliance of composer Michael Norris and conductor Hamish McKeich, whose leadership during the past 20 years has produced innovative programmes unique to New Zealand and introduced audiences to new ideas from the global musical community.

Stroma has the following fundamental purposes:

  • Foster and champion the music of today.
  • Illuminate New Zealand musical creativity within an international context.
  • Exhilarate audiences with bold musical experiences of the highest standard.

As an ensemble, Stroma is not limited to a fixed group of musicians, but can respond to the needs of its composers and collaborators, allowing it to remain at the forefront of new developments in contemporary music. It is now the only professional ensemble in New Zealand dedicated solely to music of today.

Apart from its many self-presented concerts, Stroma has been featured at numerous New Zealand Festivals from 2002–20, as well as the International Jazz Festival 2003, the Wellington Cathedral Festival 2003, the Christchurch Festival of the Arts 2005, the Tempo and Body Festivals in 2012 and the Hong Kong Musicarama Festival in 2011. Stroma’s concerts have featured world-renowned collaborators such as Roberto Fabbriciani, Nicholas Isherwood, Richard Nunns, Madeleine Pierard, Lars Mlekusch, the Duo Stump-Linshalm, Simon Docking, Adam Page, Jeff Henderson, David Long, Richard Haynes, Warren Maxwell, Claire Edwardes and Pedro Carneiro.

Fostering the music of today

Since its inception in 2000, Stroma has not only commissioned and premiered more than 50 new works, but has also given repeat performances to more than 40 existing NZ works. 

NZ WORKS COMMISSIONED AND/OR PREMIERED BY STROMA (77 works)
Elliot Vaughan Futures Past for three musicians, walkmans and fishtank
Rosie Langabeer Idiosyncrophilia: Suite for Invented Instruments and Ensemble Simon Eastwood & Alistair Fraser ‘Pepe’ from Te Aitanga Pepeke
Antonia Barnett-Mcintosh yesterday blocks for two voices John Psathas Irirangi (Meditation) for taonga puoro, flute and electronics
Antonia Barnett-Mcintosh clean run for voice and ensemble Alison Isadora Stemmen
Sarah Ballard Paramātmā for Indian musicians and ensemble Jasmine Lovell-Smith Cerulean Skies for jazz octet and ensemble
Reuben Jelleyman Designs for chamber ensemble Bridget Johnson Pas de Quatre for mechatronic loudspeakers
David Downes Superflux for robotic drumkit, electronic playback Michael Norris Tidal Flow for amplified percussion quartet and robotic drums
Michael Norris Sygyt for ensemble, throat-singer, and electronics Alison Isadora Alt for string quartet
Tristan Carter Tohoraha for ensemble, voice & taonga puoro Ariana Tikao Ka taka te mōtoi for ensemble, voice & taonga puoro
Hirini Melbourne & Ariana Tikao Amokura for ensemble, voice & taonga puoro Ross Harris Brass Poppies
Jeroen Speaker Eratosthene’s Sieve Stephen Clothier A Stable Reference
Louise Webster Nine Echoes: Number 7 Glen Downie The Lilburn Hop
Salina Fisher Dream 6 Sarah Ballard Meditation
Michael Norris Mesophase Dorothy Ker pulse-echoes
John Elmsly In October Light Eve de Castro-Robinson No. 3
Jeroen Speak Eratosthene’s Sieve Chris Watson sundry good
Adam Page Space, Time and a new pair of shoes Samuel Holloway Hard Science
Philip Brownlee Canzona per Sonare Michael Norris Prolation Canon on a theme by Hildegard von Bingen
Michael Norris TIMEDANCE Michael Norris Heart across Night (paraphrase on Straight No Chaser)
Karlo Margetic Mad Scene Chris Cree Brown Munted
Alexandra Hay An Island Doesn’t Either Dugal McKinnon Untitled (Counterfeit Ready-made #2)
Peter Scholes Relic Brigid Bisley In memoriam
Jeroen Speak Silk Dialogue VI Philip Brownlee Te Hau o Tawhirimatea
Ross Harris Trombone Opera Lyell Cresswell Con Fuoco
Jenny McLeod Cat Dreams Alison Isadora the little baby jesus and the bee
David Downes Bliss Mechanism John Croft murmures secrez... Avernales eaux
Dylan Lardelli Four Scenes David Long Cross Creek (festival commission)
Samuel Holloway Strange Loops Dylan Lardelli Paulownia
Michael Norris Icons & Artifice Ross Harris At the edge of silence (9 perfs)
John Young Arrivederci Philip Brownlee Sparks amongst the geysers
Helen Bowater Lumen Dugal McKinnon Christ lag in Todesbanden
Rachel Clement knitting dust (2 perfs) Jack Body In the curve of song
Jeroen Speak Musik für witwen Michael Norris Scintilla (2 perfs)
Michael Norris Splinter Cells (2 perfs) Miriama Young Breathing on the A Train
Chris Watson Carrick Bend Victoria Kelly Short Song Cycle (2 perfs)
John Psathas Psyzygysm (2 perfs) Philip Brownlee Synonta
Hayden Chisholm Magnificat 3 Paul Booth Impossible Colour
Ross Harris Contra-music Michael Norris Wind Shear (2 perfs)
John Bayer Asana James Gardner Fetish Effigies (2 perfs)
EXISTING NZ WORKS RECEIVING REPEAT PERFORMANCES (58 works)
Jack Body Bouyi Celeste Oram, Rob Thorne, Ludwig van Beethoven, and ensemble An Overture
Salina Fisher Kingfisher John Rimmer Where Sea Meets Sky 2
Eve de Castro-Robinson Pearls of the Sea Eve de Castro-Robinson Quiet at her window
Annea Lockwood Immersion Dylan Lardelli Musical Box
Gillian Whitehead Hineraukatauri Douglas Lilburn Nine Short Pieces
Alison Isadora Point of Departure Jack Body Interior
Jack Body Bai Simon Eastwood The Spindle of Necessity
Mary Binney Enfance Karlo Margetic Sinnet
Rachael Morgan Interior Michael Norris Tre Canzoni Imperfette
Gao Ping Shuo Shu Ren Dorothy Ker [...and...11]
Anthony Ritchie Oppositions Jack Body Tribute to the Blues
Gao Ping Shuo Shu Ren Dorothy Ker [...and...11]
Michael Norris De Corporis Fabrica Dugal McKinnon Nowdrifts
Michael Norris blindsight Jeroen Speak Epeisodos
Dylan Lardelli to give Samuel Holloway Sillage
Michael Norris De Corporis Fabrica Dugal McKinnon nowdrifts
Ross Harris Fanitullin Douglas Lilburn Wind Quintet
Chris Gendall Rudiments Chris Watson Derailleurs
Michael Norris tesserae…interstices Gillian Whitehead Manutaki (2 perfs)
Gillian Whitehead Hineteiwaiwa Ross Harris Lament
Gareth Farr Dialogue Helen Bowater Banshee
Michael Norris Machine Noises John Croft Siramour
Jeroen Speak Epeisodos Dylan Lardelli Four Fragments
Chris Watson Mandible John Rimmer De Aestibus Rerum
Jenny McLeod For Seven Gillian Whitehead Hine Te Kakara
Neville Hall The Way Time Accumulates John Psathas Zebeikiko
John Rimmer The Ripple Effect (2 perfs) Philip Brownlee Harakeke
Chris Watson Piano Quintet Jack Speirs 3 Poems of Janet Frame (2 perfs)
Lissa Meridan Devil on a Wire John Psathas Pounamu (chamber ens arrangement)

Stroma New Music Ensemble
c/- Michael Norris
New Zealand School of Music
PO Box 600
Wellington 6021
New Zealand

+64 21 211 0138
info@stroma.co.nz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stromanewmusicensemble


Stroma New Music Trust is a registered charity, number CC48768.
© Stroma 2019 | Stroma is not responsible for the content of external internet sites