The New Zealand Chamber Soloists were formed in 2006 from a range of artists who have connections with Music at the University of Waikato, all of whom have national and international careers as performers. They are passionate about revitalising classical music as a vital, spontaneous and expressive experience that can uplift and transform audiences.

Over five years, the NZCS have established themselves as one of the premier ensembles in their field in New Zealand, one of varying size with a piano trio at its core.  The trio, consisting of American-born cellist, James Tennant, pianist Katherine Austin and violinist Lara Hall, has strengthened the reputation of the ensemble with highly successful national tours for Chamber Music New Zealand, ongoing concerts at the Gallagher Concert Chamber and tours to South America, the USA, the UK and Europe as well as collaborations with a broad spectrum of composers and musicians and two acclaimed CDs. The NZCS’s most recent release, the 2010 Elegy, spent six weeks at the top of the NZ classical charts, an unprecedented first for a chamber music ensemble.

In New Zealand the NZCS maintain an active performance schedule. Engagements include festival performances, showcase and invitational concerts, masterclasses and concert tours to all major centres for CMNZ in 2008, 2010 and 2011. In 2008, Tennant, Austin and Hall gave the world premiere of the triple concerto, Convergence, written for them by Michael Williams.  Originally performed and toured with the Opus Chamber Orchestra, the NZCS picked up the work again in 2010 with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as part of the orchestra’s regular NZSO/SOUNZ readings.

Collaborative work has played a significant role with the NZCS, working with many distinguished New Zealand artists such as David Griffiths, Peter Scholes, Ingrid Culliford, Rachael Griffiths-Hughes, Jessica Shaw, Dimitri Atanassov , Victoria Jaenecke and, most recently, Luca Manghi allowing for more diverse pieces from the chamber music repertoire to be included in NZCS performances. Collaborative concerts have included performances of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Schumann and Dvorak Piano Quintets, Bartok's Contrasts as well as music from the Baroque period and scores for flute, piano and violin.

In 2008, members of the Ogen Trio and the New Zealand Chamber Soloists recorded a collection of works by leading New Zealand composers. The result was the award-nominated CD, Ahi featuring works by Michael Williams, David Griffiths, Martin Lodge, Gareth Farr and John Psathas. Musicians taking part were Tennant, Austin, distinguished baritone David Griffiths, violinist Dimitri Attanassov and clarinettist, Peter Scholes.

The NZCS’ 2010 CD release Elegy with Tennant, Austin and Hall, returned to the familiar territory of the piano trio and featured fresh and insightful interpretations of Russian composers, Rachmaninov, Babajanian and Shostakovich.

The contributions of the New Zealand Chamber Soloists reach far beyond the concert hall and the University of Waikato as they continue to extend the boundaries of New Zealand music as lecturers, arts innovators and international ambassadors of New Zealand chamber music. In 2011 the trio will be visiting the China Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and giving masterclasses and a recital at the University of Xiamen.  A European concert tour is planned for 2012.

Katherine Austin 
Lara Hall 
James Tennant