Sunday 1 August

A New Zealander of Scottish, Maori and Chinese descent, Lorelle McNaughton studied in New Zealand and Australia before her passion for Spanish music took her to Barcelona where she was awarded the prize for best performance of Spanish Music at the International Barcelona Piano Academy. Resident in Spain for several years, she has performed extensively across the globe and was recently invited to perform at the ‘Oceania’ Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, playing Michael Parekowhai’s carved grand piano. Lorelle has been particularly commended for her inspired interpretation of the music of the great Spanish composers and has been invited to give presentations at some of Australia’s leading music conservatoriums. 

She is one of a small number of pianists worldwide to have performed Isaac Albéniz’s complete Iberia suite, one of the most complex and challenging works of the piano literature. After almost ten years living abroad, Lorelle has recently returned to New Zealand where she is teaching music and continuing a successful career as a solo and collaborative pianist.

We will be hearing a selection from Iberia in her concert, as well as some well-loved works by Debussy and Ravel, and closing with the charming suite of Four Spanish Pieces by Manuel de Falla.