It is always a pleasure to hear our pre-eminent chamber music ensemble.
Last night at the Blue Baths they brought once again an appealing programme and renowned qualities like searching interpretations and an astute balance between expression and precision.
Their replacement for second violin Douglas Beilman, Monique Lapins was a fine appointment, for her confident and elegant bowing matched splendidly that of the rest of the group.
Mozart dedicated his String Quartet No.16 to Haydn and its performance in a small venue intensified its moods to such an extent that it approached the vigour of Haydn's own music.
The NZSQ have a reputation for mixing to great effect works from the classical repertoire with the unorthodox and here Gillian Whitehead's Poroporo in which strings mimic the Maori musical instruments, worked wonderfully well.