music month

The musical score for 'Blue smoke'

New Zealand's first record 

In February 1949 a 78 rpm disc featuring the song ‘Blue smoke’, written by Ruru Karaitiana and sung by Pixie Williams, became the first record wholly produced in New Zealand from composition to pressing. It provided a debut hit-seller for the New Zealand-owned TANZA (To Assist New Zealand Artists) record label.

Cover of the album True colours

Cracking the big time

In 1980 Split Enz put New Zealand music firmly on the international scene with their album True colours. They were the first New Zealand act to break into the highly lucrative British and United States markets. This was not a case of overnight success. Split Enz had worked hard to get to the top, and like many New Zealand bands before them (and since), they had to overcome many obstacles to crack the big time.

The NZSO in 2007, its 60th year.

Concerted efforts

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is our flagship classical music ensemble.

In 1940 the success of the Centennial Festival Orchestra encouraged the government to form a permanent national orchestra. The Second World War delayed the creation of the National Orchestra until 1946, and its first concert was in early 1947. No more would the country rely for its symphonic music on such orchestras, often incomplete, as the cities and larger towns could muster.

Sandy became notorious for her skimpy outfits. One revealing zebra-skin bikini was banned on staid New Zealand television in the mid-1960s.

Famous for being famous

She was our first pop superstar of the TV age – a 1960s New Zealand Paris Hilton. Liverpool-born dental assistant Sandy Edmonds rose to become the swinging, groovy face of youth on pop show C’mon, even though her musical contribution is barely remembered.