What to Expect

Before each performance, we host a free pre-concert talk in the Renouf Foyer at the Michael Fowler Centre, beginning at 6.30pm. Led by our Music Director Marc Taddei and often featuring special guest artists, these relaxed conversations offer a behind-the-scenes look at the music, the stories, and what to listen for during the concert. Whether you’re new to orchestral music or a seasoned concert-goer, the talks are an engaging way to deepen your experience.

Attendance is entirely optional. Pre-concert talks are often very popular, and are a great opportunity to relax with some refreshments – wine, beer, ice cream, juice, chips, anything!

Orchestra Wellington programmes are expertly crafted by our Music Director, Marc Taddei, to pair the known with the unknown – standard orchestral repertoire with New Zealand and World Premieres, keeping our content relatable and engaging.

You may not enjoy every piece on the programme – and that’s OK! There is something for everyone, and we can guarantee that throughout the course of a season you will be exposed to some musical works you’ve never heard before, a reimagining of a familiar work, or both!

The concert begins at 7.30pm in the Michael Fowler Centre concert hall. Ushers will help direct you to your seats where you will settle in and be treated to an evening of performances by some of Aotearoa’s most talented musicians, often featuring guest artists from across the motu and around the world!

Each performance includes multiple compositions, usually two to four. A ‘composition’ is the classical music equivalent of a song. The only difference is, each composition is broken down into different parts, known as ‘movements’. Typically, applause happens at the end of the entire composition, not at the end of each movement. So if you’re unsure why people aren’t clapping, it’s because the composition isn’t over yet!

Absolutely anything you like. Most audience members tend to dress smartly, but this is entirely your choice. You could wear a tuxedo, a nice pair of jeans, even a clown costume! Maybe not a clown costume.

There is a coat rack at the venue where you’re welcome to leave your outer layers if you wish – just ask any of the friendly venue staff and they will show you where to leave it. 

The long and short of it is: wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. We’re playing for YOU, and we want you to enjoy your experience with us!

All six of our annual subscription series concerts are but one part of a larger story. If you’d like to experience the season-long adventure, subscriptions are available at the end of each season for the following year and three-concert package deals are available following the first subscription concert of each season.

If you’d like to attend concerts occasionally, tickets are available via Ticketmaster or the event pages on our website [orchestrawellington.co.nz].

There are some fabulous prices on tickets available to all of our 2026 COLLABORATION season concerts at the MFC including:

• $35 for Under 35s (available via Ticketmaster)
• $20 for students (available via Ticketmaster)
• $15 for children (available via Ticketmaster)
• and student rush tickets from 6pm on concert night. Purchase these directly from the box office at the MFC for $12.50 (including Ticketmaster fees)!

Absolutely! Hunger is one of the top contributers when it comes to being distracted from your concert experience, and many of our concert-goers arrive early to grab a drink, sweet snack, or even purchase their interval incre cream fix ahead of time! 

When you head upstairs before the concert, feel free to grab something from the Renouf Foyer snack bar. Some have noisy wrappers, which we prefer not to have in the concert hall, but others like drinks and lollies are easy to take into the concert with you. 

If you know you’ll want an interval ice cream, buy it ahead of time – they’ll give you a token to redeem at interval, and you can hop in the ice-cream-queue to redeem it at the break. 

This is an obvious one, but please ensure all mobile phones are set to silent (or turned off) for the duration of the performance. This is especially important in classical music, where silence can be a very powerful part of a piece. Instagram can wait.

Having said that, you ARE allowed to snap photos at our concerts (as long as there is no flash photography) and we would love to see them! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook (after the concert!) and we might even feature you on our socials!

Make the most of your concert experience with our complimentary concert programmes.

Available throughout the venue when you arrive, these beautifully designed booklets are packed with artist profiles, programme notes, and fascinating insights into the music you’re about to hear. They’re a great way to learn more about the composers, performers, and stories behind each performance — whether you read them before the concert, during the interval, or afterwards at home.

Pick one up when you arrive and dive a little deeper into the evening with Your Orchestra.

By purchasing a ticket to Orchestra Wellington concerts, you support community and educational mahi by Orchestra Wellington musicians across the entire Wellington Region! THANK YOU for your support!

If you like reading up ahead of time, join our newsletter for the pre-concert E-mails which will include information about upcoming programmes, save-the-dates, “Did you know?” sections, and programme notes with information about our featured soloists and artists for the upcoming concert.