MELENCOLIA CD - FINALIST in Aotearoa Music Awards
Anthony’s CD of his three string quartets entitled Melencolia, performed by the Jade String Quartet, has been nominated as one of the three finalists in the Aotearoa Music Awards for 2026. This event, known colloquially as 'the Tuis', covers a wide spectrum of New Zealand music. Melencolia has been nominated under the category of Best Classical Artist of the year.
BASSOON QUINTET VIDEO
The SOUNZ video/RadioNZ recording of the first performance of Anthony's 2023 work
Farewell for bassoon and
string quartet is now available to view. Follow this
link.
The performers are brilliant young soloist Todd Gibson-Cornish on bassoon, with Donald Armstrong and Wilma Smith on violins, Amanda Verner on viola
and Matthias Balzat on cello.
The performance was part of The Martinborough Music Festival.
The 15 minute piece contrasts dream-like lullabies
with more anxious, agitated moods in a metaphorical farewell. Score and parts are available from this website.
CHORAL WORKS FOR SCHOOLS
We have noticed much activity from schools on this website recently. Looking for New Zealand repertoire for your choir? Maybe for the Big Sing? Check out these short Ritchie choral works:
STRING QUARTETS RECORDED
A Rattle Records CD of Anthony’s three string quartets, named Melencololia, was launched late 2025. All are superbly performed by the Jade String Quartet. The Third Quartet, In Time was composed in 2023 and is a meditation on the temporality of life but also a celebration of it. The first Quartet was composed when Anthony was 23, a student living in Budapest, and it had remained unperformed until premiered in 2020 by Dunedin ensemble the Exhibition Quartet. The Jade String Quartet then took it up, along with the other quartets, performing them all in 2024 prior to the recording.
An interesting feature of the three quartets is that each is separated from its neighbour by 20 years. The album, therefore, involves a variety of styles.
MELENCOLIA REVIEWED:
Nick Barnard has reviewed the String Quartet CD in MusicWeb International
Peter Mechen has reviewed the String Quartet CD in : Middle C
You! Who?
Anthony collaborated with his friend (and fellow croquet player) Fiona Farrell on a monodrama for mezzo soprano and piano entitled You! Who?
The studio redording following the first performance has now been released by SOUNZ (Centre for NZ Music) on youtube.
Fiona’s poems trace the evolution of a relationship, from first meeting through marriage, babies, separation, reconciliation and finally death.
Anthony and Fiona have frequently discussed possible creative collaborations. Anthony was inspired to compose the work for mezzo and work colleague Tessa Romano, who gave a stunning performance as Circus Woman in Anthony’s opera The Trapeze Artists.
You! Who? Was premiered by Tessa Romano (mezzo) and Terence Dennis (piano) as part of 2025 NZ Music Month celebrations at the School of Performing Arts, University of Otago.
Search, instrumentation, buy PDF
SYMPHONY 6
SOUNZ, The Centre for NZ Music, has released the video of the first performance of Symphony 6 performed by the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra.
FIVE DUNEDIN SONGS
The premiere performance of Anthony's song cycle Five Dunedin Songs have been released by SOUNZ (Centre for NZ Music) on youtube, 29 years after they were composed! Christopher Bowen, tenor, and Matthew Marshall, guitarist, performed the songs in The Piano in Christchurch in June this year, and also took them on tour through New Zealand, Serbia and Ireland.
The songs use wonderful poems by two New Zealand poets, Iain Lonie and Bernadette Hall.
You can view the performance on youtube
FRANGRANTISSIMA
A short trio for flute, cello and harp by Anthony entitled Fragrantissima evokes the smell of Winter Honeysuckle, or Fragrantissima, a strong and beautiful scent that induces a sense of calmness and well-being. The piece was commissioned by the Aurum trio: Barbara Hill (flute), Robert Ibell (cello) and Michelle Velvin (harp) for a tour in early 2025.