In 2025, Uwe Grodd will be conducting:
The Resolute – 15 March
Pastorale – 24 August
From The New World – 15 November
Uwe Grodd has gained widespread recognition and acclaim in the world of classical music. With a career spanning many countries, he has cemented his status as a champion of musical excellence. The UK’s Gramophone review of a recording of Hummel Masses with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra by their editor James Jolly encapsulates this well: “…and good to see music-making of this vigour and mastery coming from New Zealand – it makes a change from hobbits!”
In 1997, Uwe Grodd embarked on an extraordinary journey as Exclusive Artist with Naxos Records resulting in groundbreaking world premiere recordings of over 100 works. His interpretations have left a lasting mark on the classical music landscape through numerous critically acclaimed reviews worldwide.
Grodd initially gained worldwide attention when awarded First Prize at the Cannes Classical Awards, France, in 2000 for ‘Best 18th Century Orchestral Recording’. This achievement came as he conducted Hungary’s Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, setting the stage for a series of accolades. Notably, he received two ‘Editor’s Choice’ awards from Gramophone UK and the esteemed ‘International Record Review Outstanding’ award for his recordings of Ferdinand Ries’ Complete Works for Piano and Orchestra, featuring orchestras like the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, Gaevle Symphony, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Grodd continues to champion contemporary music and played a pivotal role in commissioning over 50 works from New Zealand composers. He conducted the premiere season of the multi-media opera ‘Galileo,’ with music by John Rimmer and libretto by Witi Ihimaera. As Artistic Director of ‘Len Lye: the opera,’ featuring music by Eve de Castro-Robinson, Grodd continued to push the boundaries of contemporary music. In 2021, Grodd conducted the premiere season of the opera ‘Ihitai ‘Avei’a: Star Navigator’ by Tim Finn, collaborating with the Manukau Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Choral, and the Graduate Choir. His latest premiere, David Hamilton’s ‘Manukau Songs’, featuring the MSO, marked a triumph as New Zealand’s first choral symphony.
Beyond his performances, Grodd serves as Professor Emeritus of the University of Auckland, Post Graduate Supervisor at the University of Canterbury, Music Director of the Auckland Choral Society, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Taranaki Symphony Orchestra. He has been the Inaugural Music Director of the Manukau Symphony Orchestra since 1993.
