NZTrio violinist Justine Cormack (right) helps Columba College pupils (from left) Jacinda Kumar (16) and Anna Weidling (16) perfect Bach's Concerto in D Minor during a chamber music masterclass at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Saturday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Advice on staccato, pitch and performance placement from some of New Zealand's top chamber musicians is helping Dunedin secondary school pupils prepare for national competitions.

NZTrio musicians Ashley Brown (cello), Sarah Watkins (piano) and Justine Cormack (violin) spent Saturday morning with about 20 budding performers during a Chamber Music New Zealand masterclass at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

They gave tuition focusing on performance pieces for next month's NZCT Chamber Music Contest.

Technical and expressive features of the music were discussed and pupils were encouraged to experiment to better understand how sounds could be manipulated and perfected.

Pupils from Otago Boys' High School, John McGlashan College, Columba College, Otago Girls' High School and Logan Park High School participated.

Audience members saw immediate improvement in the pupils' performances following advice from NZTrio members.

The trio performed in Dunedin at Glenroy Auditorium on Friday, as part of a national tour.

-rosie.manins@odt.co.nz