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Award-winning musician Lee Martelli-Wood is staging five free ‘Microjazz’ concerts around the city in May including one here in east Auckland.
The Auckland Council-funded project celebrates the 25th anniversary of New Zealand Music Month.
Martelli-Wood, who’s a professional pianist, says she never thought when she was practising Microjazz pieces as a child that one day she’d not only meet their composer, Christopher Norton, but also sightread duets with him at a conference, and then end up touring his music.
After presenting online concerts to cheer friends during the Covid-19 lockdown, Martelli-Wood says she found many different people liked Norton’s music, particularly his Rock and Latin Preludes.
The idea of creating a mini tour of what she describes as “great New Zealand music” around five Auckland venues was conceived last year and is supported by the council’s Creative Communities Scheme.
“This is the first time I’ve been funded as a solo artist. I’ve managed a wide range of funding and projects for other people, but never my own personal work.
“It’s been an interesting journey seeing the project grow, working with venues and partners, and I very much look forward to presenting the pieces in concert soon.”
SOUNZ, the Centre for New Zealand Music, is supporting the project by publishing a booklet featuring the winning pieces from the young composers’ competition Martelli-Wood is running as part of the project.
New pieces by young composers will be selected by Norton and played by Martelli-Wood at the concerts.
In tandem with celebrating New Zealand music, the project has a local fashion partner in Federation, which is providing support via clothing for the pianist.
Martelli-Wood says she hopes to welcome large audiences to the five free concerts.
Audience members will be able to play percussion with her on piano.
The east Auckland Microjazz concert is at 7.30pm on Friday, May 16, at Te Tuhi, 21 William Roberts Road, Pakuranga.
