Concerts › Morton Trio and Friends

Clarinet, Horn, Piano, Strings

For their first concert of 2024, Music Whakatane is thrilled to present Morton Trio & Friends in partnership with Chamber Music New Zealand. On Tuesday 9 April at 7.30pm the Christchurch-based ensemble bring a bold and soaring musical experience to The Church of St George and St John, 30 Domain Road, Whakatāne.

For this exciting tour as a sextet, Morton Trio members Arna Morton (violin), Alex Morton (French horn), and Liam Wooding (piano) are joined by esteemed colleagues from the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra: David McGregor (clarinet), Sharon Baylis (viola), and Jeremy Garside (cello). Together they deliver original, intense chamber music with orchestral scope, with the promise of wowing concertgoers from start to finish.

The remarkable programme features the two great sextets written for clarinet, horn, piano, and strings. Riveting from the first bars, they open with Dohnányi’s rich and exhilarating Sextet, followed by what is considered Penderecki’s finest chamber achievement—two majestic works that allow all six performers to shine with virtuosic brilliance and musicality.

New Zealand’s Morton Trio was established in 2017. Delighting their audiences with canonical classics from Brahms and Ligeti, the innovative ensemble is committed to discovering and performing lesser‑known works from the genre, as well as expanding the horn trio repertoire through new commissions and arrangements.

Morton Trio and Friends performed at St George & St John Church, on Tuesday 9th April at 7:30pm.