ABOUT US

Pōneke Sessions is a classical music series that is hosted at Bedlam and Squalor (the Rogue and Vagabond’s new loft space). The space is available for music students, recent graduates, freelancers, professional salaried musicians, and New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī faculty to perform classical music together for the local community.

Originally Pōneke Classical Sessions, the series was created by Leah Thomas to establish a welcoming, accessible space for people to regularly experience and perform classical music in Wellington. The first season launched in April 2021. Since then Pōneke Sessions has hosted 18 concerts (6 shows in each of its three seasons), a stage for young classical performers in Classical on Cuba, co-produced a show with Long Cloud Youth Theatre called Running Into the Sun and hosted a Christmas fundraising concert which raised over $3000 for Arohanui Strings and Women's Refuge.

The focus of Pōneke Sessions is on the creation of community, as the series has been designed to be accessible for both musicians and the audience.  The series allows musicians to try new things in a welcoming environment, creates performance opportunities for young people and an environment to experience classical music that is more relaxed than the sometimes-intimidating concert hall.