The Southern Lakes region may be known as the adventure capital of Aotearoa New Zealand but in recent years it’s earned a reputation for thrills of a different kind. Celebrating its fifth year this spring, At the World’s Edge (AWE) has become a fixture on both the national and international classical music festival calendar, attracting some of the biggest names in chamber music.
From Wānaka to Cromwell and Queenstown, the 2025 AWE festival draws on the natural world as muse. Explored through seven masterfully curated performances and a series of free events, AWE features celebrated chamber works, lesser-known pieces, and bold new compositions that highlight the many ways composers respond to the landscapes and patterns of nature.
This year’s line-up brings some of Aotearoa’s most celebrated chamber musicians to Central Otago and the Southern Lakes, including pianist Michael Houstoun, cellist James Bush, and Composer in Residence John Psathas. They are joined by a cast of outstanding international artists that features UK violinist Anthony Marwood, US violist Yura Lee and Australian harpsichordist, Erin Helyard.
The festival opens with a weekend in Wānaka and the world premiere of a newly commissioned string quintet by John Psathas. Performed at Rippon Hall, the ambitious two-cello work is one of two new pieces commissioned for AWE 2025. Psathas will also mentor this year’s Emerging Composer, Lauren Doherty, as she prepares her own commission that will enjoy its debut during Whorl, a programme inspired by spirals and concentric forms found in nature, at the historic Bannockburn Hall.
The theme of nature as a catalyst for creativity also guides this year’s AWE+ series of free public performances, workshops and talks that extend the conversation beyond music. Acclaimed architect Fred van Brandenburg will share insights into biomimicry and design, while Olympic freeskier Jossi Wells explores the parallels between performance, creativity, and the alpine environment.
A highlight of this year’s festival is the reunion of John Psathas with his long-time collaborator, legendary pianist Michael Houstoun. Their creative partnership, spanning recordings, premieres and commissions, returns to the stage during four captivating festival programmes, three of which take place at Queenstown’s vibrant arts hub Te Atamira. Together, and with fellow Festival Artists, these musical icons will journey through centuries of music inspired by nature, including both new and familiar works by Psathas himself. In Horizon, AWE’s final programme, this journey concludes with Enescu’s thrilling String Octet, one of the most ambitious and inventive pieces of all time.
“As a festival rooted in the landscapes of the Southern Lakes, we’re constantly inspired by our surroundings,” says AWE Festival Director, Justine Cormack. “It’s a privilege to celebrate five years of extraordinary performances with artists and audiences who share our belief that music, like nature, can shift our perspective and stir something deeply personal.”
At the World’s Edge Festival runs from 4–12 October 2025, with performances in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell and Bannockburn. The AWE+ series offers free events across all festival venues, culminating with a tour of schools throughout the district between 13-17 October
