In Return: A Unique Live Music Experience At Whanganui Regional Museum

Whanganui Regional Museum is thrilled to announce a special live music performance as part of La Fiesta, New Zealand's largest women's festival, celebrating its 16th anniversary in 2025.

Titled In Return, the concert will take place at 5:00pm on Sunday, March 2nd in the stunning atrium of the museum and will feature 17 musicians in varied ensembles, led by the accomplished New Zealand composer/conductor Brigid Ursula Bisley. The performance will showcase Brigid's new and original compositions, written for classical and some non-classical instruments. All the works on the programme are New Zealand premieres.

"I’ve wanted to put on a concert of my own work for a long time, and finally it’s happening," says Brigid. "I've received so much support in Whanganui - doors flying open, people really interested in the project.”

“I have found it so open and so friendly here, in a way that has really delighted me. It is wonderful to be able to share my music with such a receptive community.”

Having recently moved from West Auckland to South Taranaki, Brigid met with a long-time acquaintance, NZ Opera School director and founder Donald Trott, who introduced her to the school’s Steinway grand piano that is situated in the museum’s atrium. "I totally fell in love with the space; it all felt like it was meant to be," she recalls.

The programme includes two song cycles, a set of piano pieces, two poems for narrator and music, and a piece for string ensemble. “The music will appeal to anyone who enjoys a wide palette – lyrical, uplifting, melancholy, meditative, energetic or humorous,” says Brigid. “But I think my trademark is that I love to create beauty.”

The featured work on the programme is a deeply personal song cycle written for Brigid’s mother who passed away in 2019. The songs explore themes of sorrow and loss but also love and hope. “Six of the songs are settings of my own poems, and two are settings of sacred texts,” she explains. “It has been a very emotional process writing this work, and I’m looking forward to hearing it live.”

Bringing the music to life will be talented musicians including Dunedin mezzo soprano Tessa Romano, Wellington mezzo soprano Anna Gawn, and locals – tenor Iain Tetley, flautist Ingrid Culliford, and cellist Annie Hunt along with players from Taranaki, Whanganui, Palmerston North, and Wellington.

The concert will also include percussion instruments such as a marimba and a vibraphone generously loaned by Whanganui Brass director Bruce Jellyman, who will be joining the percussion team.

In Return has been made possible with the generous support of Whanganui District Council and Creative Communities.

Event Details:

• What: 'In Return' live music performance
• Who: Brigid Ursula Bisley and ensemble
• When: 5:00pm, Sunday 2nd March
• Where: Whanganui Regional Museum, 4 Watt Street, Whanganui
• Entry: Tickets $30 Adult, $15 Concession (Student/Gold Card/Community Services Card Holder)

Tickets are limited to 100 and expected to sell out quickly for this intimate event, so book early to avoid disappointment. Secure your place for this unforgettable experience by purchasing tickets through the Visitor Services team at Whanganui Regional Museum, during museum opening hours: 10am-4.30pm, Mon-Sun. Door sales will be available on the day.

For more information and ticket bookings from beyond Whanganui, please contact: info@wrm.org.nz

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