‘Relaxed’ concert included in schedule for NZSO visit

During its visit to Dunedin next week, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will present a free daytime concert specially designed for neurodivergent audiences.

The orchestra’s hour-long Relaxed Concert, presented in association with Autism NZ, will be held at 11am next Friday, May 15, at Dunedin Town Hall — ahead of the massed performance of Mahler’s Resurrection symphony that night.

The concert will be hosted by NZSO Music Education animateur Chris Lam Sam and will include a short Q&A and meet-and-greet session with NZSO musicians.

In a statement, an NZSO spokesperson said the Relaxed Concerts were tailored specifically for people from the neurodivergent, autism and disability communities. They have been enormously popular across the country.

Each has a relaxed attitude to noise and movement from the audience during the performance, minimal lighting effects, a ‘‘chill-out’’ space and, where possible, traditional applause is replaced by silent NZ Sign Language applause.

NZSO music director emeritus James Judd will conduct the orchestra.

The programme features excerpts from Beethoven’s exuberant Seventh Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s vibrant Second Symphony, along with performances of contemporary American composer Jessie Montgomery’s Strum and Fanfare Kotahitanga, a new work by Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie.

While the Relaxed Concert is free, an online booking is required via nzso.co.nz

— Allied Media