New Zealand String Quartet – Te Rōpū Tūrū o Aotearoa

NZSQ join us in 2026 for VIRTUOSI on 27 June, 7:30pm at the Michael Fowler Centre.

Founded in 1987, the New Zealand String Quartet – Te Rōpū Tūrū o Aotearoa (NZSQ) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s longest-running professional string quartet. Known internationally for creating genuine connections with audiences, the NZSQ brings performances that are intimate, accessible and deeply moving, making live chamber music an unforgettable shared experience for local communities of all ages.

Proud cultural and artistic ambassadors, the NZSQ explores the possibilities of the string quartet genre through exciting programming and collaborations with other artforms. The NZSQ has premiered over 150 New Zealand works and are active champions of New Zealand and Māori music.

In addition to performing, the Quartet plays a leadership role in music education. The ensemble has a long-standing partnership with the New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī and presents a diverse range of education opportunities for aspiring musicians throughout the country.

Gillian Ansel, viola

Born in Auckland, New Zealander Gillian Ansell made her concerto debut as violinist with the Auckland Symphonia (Auckland Philharmonia) at 16 years of age. She was awarded an Associated Board Scholarship to the Royal College of Music, London where she won several prizes on violin and viola. After further study on a German Academic Exchange DAAD scholarship at the Musikhochschule in Cologne with Igor Ozim and the Amadeus Quartet, she worked professionally in London for three years before returning to New Zealand in 1987 to become a founding member of the New Zealand String Quartet.

Apart from her work in the NZSQ, in 2021 she appeared as concerto soloist with the Hawkes Bay Orchestra and Dunedin Symphony Orchestra. She is an Associate Professor at the New Zealand School of Music Te Kōkī at Victoria University of Wellington, where she has teaches viola and chamber music. In the 2008 New Year’s Honours list she became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to music in New Zealand.

In 2019 she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers. Gillian has been Artistic Director of the Adam Chamber Music Festival since 2001.

Peter Clark, violin

Peter Clark was honoured to join the NZSQ in 2024. Prior to his appointment, Peter divided his time between New York City and Australia, combining his passions for chamber music, directing orchestras, and advocating for the central role of music in society.

Positions previously held include principal violin of Omega Ensemble, first violinist of Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Inspire Quartet, and core member of Melbourne’s Inventi Ensemble. As concertmaster, Peter has performed with New Zealand Opera, Sydney Chamber Opera, Victoria Opera, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Darwin Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Wellington. He has also appeared as Associate Concertmaster of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Principal Second of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Dublin, and has toured with the Australian World Orchestra, and Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Peter is passionate about the intersection of the highest artistry with music’s potential as a force for good. His commitment to arts access has led him to perform in more than 130 regional towns and cities across Australia, as well as to develop a beloved music programme at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. His research on social innovation and cohesion through music is generously supported by Judith Neilson AM, the General Sir John Monash Foundation, and the American Australian Association.

Martin Smith, cello

Born in Sydney Australia, Martin Smith studied at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole with Natalia Gutman and the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler with Eberhard Feltz. Martin has appeared as soloist throughout Europe, including recent performances with the Berlin Kammersolisten, Leipzig Philharmonic, Orchestre de Chambre de Lyon, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, and RTS Symphony Orchestra Belgrade.

Martin has collaborated with musicians including Kolja Blacher, Leon Fleisher, Midori Goto, Leonadis Kavakos, Yo-Yo Ma, Menahem Pressler, Heinrich Schiff and Tabea Zimmerman, and continues to work closely with leading composers including John Adams, Thomas Adès, Mats Larsson Gothe, György Kurtág and Salvatore Sciarrino.

As guest principal cellist, Martin has performed and toured with the Bavarian State Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonia Orchestra London, Royal Opera Stockholm, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, and Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich.

Martin has appeared at leading festivals including IMS Prussia Cove, Musica Strasbourg, Pablo Casals Prades, Piatigorsky and Ravinia. He has been honoured with numerous awards including the Australian Music Foundation, the DAAD Künstlerpreis, ECHO Klassik, and the KPO Young Performer of the Year award. Martin has been a member of the Zafraan Ensemble in Berlin since 2012.

Martin Riseley, guest violin

Martin Riseley studied at Juilliard with Dorothy DeLay, where he completed Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees. He subsequently became Concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for fifteen years and is also former Concertmaster of the Chamber Players of the Juilliard School (now Juilliard Chamber Orchestra), Cape May Festival Orchestra, National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the Johann Strauss Orchestra of Canada, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

He has played chamber music with some of the leading musicians of our time, including Pinchas Zukerman, Yo Yo Ma and John Kimura Parker, and has held other concertmaster positions, including Interim Associate Concertmaster of the National Arts Center Orchestra, under music director Pinchas Zukerman.

Since returning to New Zealand to be Head of Strings at the New Zealand School of Music he has premiered John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne, given performances throughout the country of the complete Paganini caprices, and teamed up with Diedre Irons for regular recitals. He has also made the first CD recordings of some important chamber works of Douglas Lilburn and of violin/piano compositions by David Farquhar.

He is also a member of Te Koki Trio, with Jian Liu and Inbal Megiddo, which has performed throughout Australasia and Asia. Their tour with Jennifer Stumm for Chamber Music New Zealand produced a new work by Michael Williams, soon to be released on Atoll Records.

He has also collaborated with Michael Houstoun in chamber music concerts several times and completed a short residency of chamber music concerts and masterclasses at Brigham Young University in 2020.