The NZSO National Youth Orchestra will celebrate WWF-New Zealand’s 50th anniversary with a special ocean-themed concert in Wellington next month, bringing together some of the country’s most talented young musicians.
NYO La Mer, presented in association with the Adam Foundation, will be conducted by acclaimed New Zealand conductor Dane Lam and feature a programme inspired by the beauty, power and importance of the world’s oceans.
The concert includes two celebrated works inspired by the sea: Claude Debussy’s La Mer and Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from his opera Peter Grimes.
Audiences will also hear the New Zealand premiere of Hawaiian composer Michael-Thomas Foumai’s Kealaikahiki Suite and the world premiere of Pray for the wanderer by NZSO National Youth Orchestra 2026 Composer-in-Residence Jack Bewley.
NZSO Chief Executive Marc Feldman said the programme was a fitting way to acknowledge WWF-New Zealand’s milestone anniversary.
“At the NZSO, we have always held a deep appreciation for nature. It is a source of inspiration for composers and performers alike, and a reminder that, like art, the natural world sustains us emotionally, culturally and economically,” Feldman said.
“We are delighted to be aligning the 2026 National Youth Orchestra with WWF-New Zealand’s 50th anniversary because music can amplify the call to protect our oceans, and environmental stewardship is enriched and inspired when it is expressed and appreciated through art.”
WWF-New Zealand Acting Chief Executive Jamie Fowler said the collaboration reflected the organisation’s long-standing commitment to protecting Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine environment.
“Aotearoa New Zealand has one of the largest marine environments in the world, home to extraordinary biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth. Our ocean is deeply valued by New Zealanders and it’s crucial we protect this taonga for generations to come,” Fowler said.
“Music has a unique ability to connect people emotionally to the natural world, and this concert will be a powerful celebration of the ocean that sustains us all.”
WWF-New Zealand is part of the WWF International Network, the world’s largest independent conservation organisation, and is marking 50 years of conservation work in Aotearoa this year.
Founded in 1959, the NZSO National Youth Orchestra has helped launch the careers of generations of New Zealand musicians. Alumni include NZSO Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor Gemma New and NZSO Principal Conductor-in-Residence Hamish McKeich. The orchestra has also represented New Zealand internationally, performing in countries including the United Kingdom, China, Japan and Australia.
Tickets for NYO La Mer are $10. More information is available through the NZSO website. https://www.nzso.co.nz/the-nzso/events-tickets/tickets/nyo-la-mer-wellington
