June 3, 2025 • 11 mins
Yesterday Nick was invited by Arts, Culture and Heritage minister Paul Goldsmith to tour the Wellington Town Hall project - the $329m project funded by the Wellington City Council to bring the city's hall back to its former glory.
The town hall was also be home to the National Music Centre, housed in the basement of the hall underneath the stage.
While the redevelopment of the hall is funded by the council, the National Music Centre has been jointly funded by the NZ Symphony Orchestra, Victoria University, Wellington City Council and the government.
While there, Nick spoke to Goldsmith and new NZSO chief executive Marc Feldman.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks AB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of touring the Wellington town
Hall project. You know, the councils spent hundreds of millions
of dollars on it's blown out time and time again.
The budget's blown out time and time again. But you
might not know there's a bit of government money in
there as well. About eight million dollars. That's funding is
for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's National Music Center that
(00:34):
will be based in the basement of the town Hall,
and that's what we were out to check out last
yesterday afternoon. Here's a bit of audio me and Ethan
walking around having a sniff around. We've luckily been invited
to a media look around the new old town Hall.
It's still very much a construction site, but you can
(00:56):
just get the feel of something great is about to
happen for our city. We went into the main area
where the main recording studio. Everything is soundproof and the
base that's where the Symphony Augestra will record. We saw
the rooms where the production crew will be taking place.
It's all live videos, so everything can be camera and
(01:16):
recorded and the state of the art recording studios will
be world class right here in Wellington, which is going
to be pretty incredible. We just came up the stairs
and went into the old Town Hall, which looks like
the old town Hall.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It is fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It feels like the old town Hall where I used
to come and watch big time wrestling, been to many
many occasions here in Wellington over the many, many years.
It looks smaller, it feels smaller than it used to feel,
but it looks magnificent now. I know a lot of
money has been spent, a lot of money's been spent here.
You can see where the money's been spent. You can
(01:54):
see how the money's been spent. But the facility when finished,
and it's still a long way to go. When the
facility is finished, you can see this is going to
be so so impressive.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
While we're there, we also had a chat with Arts,
Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith about the project. I'm
with Paul Goldsmith, the Minister for Arts and Culture and Heritage.
I mean the old town Hall. You wouldn't remember it's
the old town Hall, but this is a piece of
Wellington history, right here and walking in and seeing you know,
(02:27):
you've just looked up and looked at the artwork and
the steel metal stuff on the roof and ceiling. I
mean there's a lot of heritage here, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
And I do remember it.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I've been to many concerts over the years in this
wonderful venue and you know there's been a massive undertaking
to earthquake strength in it and it will just be
wonderful to get it back open again so New Zealanders
can enjoy it again.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Does it concern you that it's cost us, the people
of Wellington so so much?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Is there value for money for us for this? Well?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Look, the locals can argue about that, but what done
is done. I mean they've spent the money, they've done it,
and so people can debate that history books. But from
our point of view, having having spent all that money
as a council, let's make the most of it. And
so that's what we're focused here and ensuring that you've
got this National Music Center which will come in underneath
(03:20):
and really sort of take it to another level.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
We look downstairs in the basement where the studio is,
and we're going to have a world class facility for recording.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I mean the Symphony orchestra.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I'm just talking to someone when we came in here
that we've lost a little bit of this mystique when
you know, a few years ago, I think it's COVID.
You know, it's been a problem, but we used to
be on a world stage. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Well this help yeah, absolutely, And you know, obviously there's
a huge potential business in the broader film sector and
having these facilities will be helpful in that regard. New
Zealand Symphony Orchestra is a world class orchestra and I
think this will give them another filip and get them
to take it to another level.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Do you know, And he may not know whether it
be able to be used for commercial Would I want
my new band be able to record here or is
it just going to be for the symphony.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Oh well, that's something that can be discussed with the
orchestra and how they manage it. I mean obviously that
the town Hall can be used by variety of people
and will be booked out no doubt, and so the
facilities are something that that's obviously something that the orchestra
can work their way through.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
There's always been talk that wetter will be able to
do some of the recording, real advance recording for their
movie stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
There is that still on the cards. It's a huge opportunity, right,
So what do you.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Think that we should as a city be thinking right
now when we've got this about to happen.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Is this a big deal? Yeah? I think it is
a big deal.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
I mean, Wellington obviously it's been through a tough patch
and like all of New Zealand, we've had a real
sort of challenge economically for the last little while, and
some well targeted investment is important. And I think also
New Zealanders just should remember that, yes we you know,
we export a whole lot of lamb chops and milk
(05:03):
and butter to the world, but we also export film
and music and the creative sector and it's a big
part of not just who we are as a country,
but so how we make a living in the world,
and so we do really well and having real facilities
like this will help develop the pipeline of talent and
take them to the world.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I mean, it's been well documented that this has gone
way way over Is this another sign that we might
not quite have enough money to finish it by the
government coming in.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Well, I mean it's everybody pitching in to make sure
we'd get this done.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Are you one hundred percent convinced that this will get
open on time?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Well, the exact timing is something that one can always
never be one hundred percent certain on. But this is
going to get finished and it's going to be great
for the city.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Thank you very much, appreciates.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We also caught up with the New Zealand Symphony August's
new chief executive, Mark Fieldman.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Feldman. He's a character.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
I think he's French and he's been living in front.
I'm pretty sure he's French who couldn't work out. He's
a real international man of mystery, you know those international people.
You talk to him, he's a real character. I'm gonna
get him on the show sometime and have a bit
of a chat to him as the year goes on.
He's just recently arrived from France to New Zealand to
hit the New Zealand for the orchestra. I ever listened to.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
To Mark good Morning, Make good Morning.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Tell us your background and your history and why you've
come to the little old Wellington, New Zealand and the
New Zealand some for the orchestra.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Well, first of all, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is
a world renowned orchestra with everything you've done in film,
but all the things you've done before, so I'm really
happy to be here. My background is I started as
a musician in the orchestra, so for twenty years I
was in the back of the orchestra playing bassoon and bassoon.
I was principal bassoon in the national orchestra in Lyon
in France for a year, and then I went off
(06:53):
to Portugal and I've been around the world with my instrument.
And then one day I said, you know, if I'm
going to if I'm going to change this profession, I'm
going to have to do it from the front and
not necessarily from the back of the orchestra. So about
twenty years ago I started thinking about becoming an administrator
and now here I am ready to go with the orchestra.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
How big a decision was it for you to to
come to New Zealand based on the fact that you
knew we were on a bit of aduldrum financially, You're
coming to a city that's having a little bit of
a rough time financially and in the arts which I had.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
The arts are hard around the world, and I have
to say that where I was in Western France, we're
all dealing with post COVID, We're all dealing with budget cuts,
We're all dealing with the idea of why is a
symphony orchestra pertinent to today's world? So those questions are
there around the world. Why did I want to come here?
It's a great orchestra, You have this fantastic project that's
(07:50):
coming up, and the you know, I knew about the
project beforehand. Of course that was part of the selling
points of the orchestra opening a new concert hall, but
really coming here from Europe was a fantastic opportunity. It
wasn't difficult at all.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So will the orchestra rehearse in the studios downstairs?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Will they rehearsal? Will be in this building.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
They'll be rehearsing in this building. The recordings are going
to be happening in the studios downstairs, and the orchestra
will be up here rehearsing.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Well.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Of course there are other places that we rehearse. Of course,
we are also a national orchestra, and we go around
the North Island and the South Island, so we rehearse
in different venues. But this will be our hub. This
is where our home will be.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And it's so far, so good, so far, so good.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
So tell me when you first heard the orchestra, when
you first got this gig and you came into Wellington
and you sat at the back of an orgestra of
the orchestra and they started playing.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Did the hair on the back of your neck raise?
Did you get that feeling?
Speaker 5 (08:48):
I've been in the business now for forty years, so
it wasn't the hair on the back of my neck,
but it was my ears. And I was saying, Wow,
this orchestra has phenomenal potential. That is a phenomenal future,
and we have to get them looking towards the future
and just get out of the malaise that the arts
world has been in, but not only here but around
(09:08):
the world, and start looking towards new concerts and new
things and new concepts. And I think the potential is amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I want to ask you your personal feelings because you
are we grew up with the August in New Zealands
and for the August are bringing great violinists and great
musicians into play with them, do things with rock bands,
all sorts of different things.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Are we going to see that under your leadership?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Absolutely, you're gonna see lots of surprises. Under my leadership.
I can assure you that you have well, we have
fun above all. We're going to have some fun, but
we're gonna have deep emotions. We're gonna have experiences, we're
gonna have learning experiences, and hopefully it'll all be fun.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Okay, I want to have that feeling where I walk
in and go, oh.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
You'll have it.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
I can tell you you'll have it, and you'll walk
out going, oh, why what just happened to me? And
that So in a positive way.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Can I say, welcome to Wellington, all the very best,
and let's get this woman place open, let's get the
symphony orchestra back on people's minds, and let's have some fun.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
That sounds like a that sounds like a great agenda
for the future.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Mark Feudman there, And if you wanted to know what
a bursoon was, because I went well and didn't never
clue what a bursoon was. And I looked at Ethan,
he didn't have a clue what a bursoon was. It's
like a giant flute. It's what you know, you blow
into it. So that's what Mark played. The instrument he played.
He's a character, trust me on that. He's a character.
(10:37):
So there's some exciting things for the New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra and this accommodation between the Whington City Council, the
New Zealand SIMP for the Orchestra and Victoria University. And
I'm sure it's going to be an amazing facility. Just
was a little bit underwhelmed of how close it is
to the finish. It's a long way to go and
it's already cost US three hundred and twenty nine million
(10:59):
dollars and I want to keep that in the perspective.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks AB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of touring the Wellington town
Hall project. You know, the councils spent hundreds of millions
of dollars on it's blown out time and time again.
The budget's blown out time and time again. But you
might not know there's a bit of government money in
there as well. About eight million dollars. That's funding is
for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's National Music Center that
(00:34):
will be based in the basement of the town Hall,
and that's what we were out to check out last
yesterday afternoon. Here's a bit of audio me and Ethan
walking around having a sniff around. We've luckily been invited
to a media look around the new old town Hall.
It's still very much a construction site, but you can
(00:56):
just get the feel of something great is about to
happen for our city. We went into the main area
where the main recording studio. Everything is soundproof and the
base that's where the Symphony Augestra will record. We saw
the rooms where the production crew will be taking place.
It's all live videos, so everything can be camera and
(01:16):
recorded and the state of the art recording studios will
be world class right here in Wellington, which is going
to be pretty incredible. We just came up the stairs
and went into the old Town Hall, which looks like
the old town Hall.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It is fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It feels like the old town Hall where I used
to come and watch big time wrestling, been to many
many occasions here in Wellington over the many, many years.
It looks smaller, it feels smaller than it used to feel,
but it looks magnificent now. I know a lot of
money has been spent, a lot of money's been spent here.
You can see where the money's been spent. You can
(01:54):
see how the money's been spent. But the facility when finished,
and it's still a long way to go. When the
facility is finished, you can see this is going to
be so so impressive.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
While we're there, we also had a chat with Arts,
Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith about the project. I'm
with Paul Goldsmith, the Minister for Arts and Culture and Heritage.
I mean the old town Hall. You wouldn't remember it's
the old town Hall, but this is a piece of
Wellington history, right here and walking in and seeing you know,
(02:27):
you've just looked up and looked at the artwork and
the steel metal stuff on the roof and ceiling. I
mean there's a lot of heritage here, isn't it?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
And I do remember it.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I've been to many concerts over the years in this
wonderful venue and you know there's been a massive undertaking
to earthquake strength in it and it will just be
wonderful to get it back open again so New Zealanders
can enjoy it again.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Does it concern you that it's cost us, the people
of Wellington so so much?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Is there value for money for us for this? Well?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Look, the locals can argue about that, but what done
is done. I mean they've spent the money, they've done it,
and so people can debate that history books. But from
our point of view, having having spent all that money
as a council, let's make the most of it. And
so that's what we're focused here and ensuring that you've
got this National Music Center which will come in underneath
(03:20):
and really sort of take it to another level.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
We look downstairs in the basement where the studio is,
and we're going to have a world class facility for recording.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I mean the Symphony orchestra.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I'm just talking to someone when we came in here
that we've lost a little bit of this mystique when
you know, a few years ago, I think it's COVID.
You know, it's been a problem, but we used to
be on a world stage. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Well this help yeah, absolutely, And you know, obviously there's
a huge potential business in the broader film sector and
having these facilities will be helpful in that regard. New
Zealand Symphony Orchestra is a world class orchestra and I
think this will give them another filip and get them
to take it to another level.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Do you know, And he may not know whether it
be able to be used for commercial Would I want
my new band be able to record here or is
it just going to be for the symphony.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Oh well, that's something that can be discussed with the
orchestra and how they manage it. I mean obviously that
the town Hall can be used by variety of people
and will be booked out no doubt, and so the
facilities are something that that's obviously something that the orchestra
can work their way through.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
There's always been talk that wetter will be able to
do some of the recording, real advance recording for their
movie stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
There is that still on the cards. It's a huge opportunity, right,
So what do you.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Think that we should as a city be thinking right
now when we've got this about to happen.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Is this a big deal? Yeah? I think it is
a big deal.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
I mean, Wellington obviously it's been through a tough patch
and like all of New Zealand, we've had a real
sort of challenge economically for the last little while, and
some well targeted investment is important. And I think also
New Zealanders just should remember that, yes we you know,
we export a whole lot of lamb chops and milk
(05:03):
and butter to the world, but we also export film
and music and the creative sector and it's a big
part of not just who we are as a country,
but so how we make a living in the world,
and so we do really well and having real facilities
like this will help develop the pipeline of talent and
take them to the world.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I mean, it's been well documented that this has gone
way way over Is this another sign that we might
not quite have enough money to finish it by the
government coming in.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Well, I mean it's everybody pitching in to make sure
we'd get this done.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Are you one hundred percent convinced that this will get
open on time?
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Well, the exact timing is something that one can always
never be one hundred percent certain on. But this is
going to get finished and it's going to be great
for the city.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Thank you very much, appreciates.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We also caught up with the New Zealand Symphony August's
new chief executive, Mark Fieldman.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Feldman. He's a character.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
I think he's French and he's been living in front.
I'm pretty sure he's French who couldn't work out. He's
a real international man of mystery, you know those international people.
You talk to him, he's a real character. I'm gonna
get him on the show sometime and have a bit
of a chat to him as the year goes on.
He's just recently arrived from France to New Zealand to
hit the New Zealand for the orchestra. I ever listened to.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
To Mark good Morning, Make good Morning.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Tell us your background and your history and why you've
come to the little old Wellington, New Zealand and the
New Zealand some for the orchestra.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Well, first of all, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is
a world renowned orchestra with everything you've done in film,
but all the things you've done before, so I'm really
happy to be here. My background is I started as
a musician in the orchestra, so for twenty years I
was in the back of the orchestra playing bassoon and bassoon.
I was principal bassoon in the national orchestra in Lyon
in France for a year, and then I went off
(06:53):
to Portugal and I've been around the world with my instrument.
And then one day I said, you know, if I'm
going to if I'm going to change this profession, I'm
going to have to do it from the front and
not necessarily from the back of the orchestra. So about
twenty years ago I started thinking about becoming an administrator
and now here I am ready to go with the orchestra.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
How big a decision was it for you to to
come to New Zealand based on the fact that you
knew we were on a bit of aduldrum financially, You're
coming to a city that's having a little bit of
a rough time financially and in the arts which I had.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
The arts are hard around the world, and I have
to say that where I was in Western France, we're
all dealing with post COVID, We're all dealing with budget cuts,
We're all dealing with the idea of why is a
symphony orchestra pertinent to today's world? So those questions are
there around the world. Why did I want to come here?
It's a great orchestra, You have this fantastic project that's
(07:50):
coming up, and the you know, I knew about the
project beforehand. Of course that was part of the selling
points of the orchestra opening a new concert hall, but
really coming here from Europe was a fantastic opportunity. It
wasn't difficult at all.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So will the orchestra rehearse in the studios downstairs?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Will they rehearsal? Will be in this building.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
They'll be rehearsing in this building. The recordings are going
to be happening in the studios downstairs, and the orchestra
will be up here rehearsing.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Well.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Of course there are other places that we rehearse. Of course,
we are also a national orchestra, and we go around
the North Island and the South Island, so we rehearse
in different venues. But this will be our hub. This
is where our home will be.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
And it's so far, so good, so far, so good.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
So tell me when you first heard the orchestra, when
you first got this gig and you came into Wellington
and you sat at the back of an orgestra of
the orchestra and they started playing.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Did the hair on the back of your neck raise?
Did you get that feeling?
Speaker 5 (08:48):
I've been in the business now for forty years, so
it wasn't the hair on the back of my neck,
but it was my ears. And I was saying, Wow,
this orchestra has phenomenal potential. That is a phenomenal future,
and we have to get them looking towards the future
and just get out of the malaise that the arts
world has been in, but not only here but around
(09:08):
the world, and start looking towards new concerts and new
things and new concepts. And I think the potential is amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I want to ask you your personal feelings because you
are we grew up with the August in New Zealands
and for the August are bringing great violinists and great
musicians into play with them, do things with rock bands,
all sorts of different things.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Are we going to see that under your leadership?
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Absolutely, you're gonna see lots of surprises. Under my leadership.
I can assure you that you have well, we have
fun above all. We're going to have some fun, but
we're gonna have deep emotions. We're gonna have experiences, we're
gonna have learning experiences, and hopefully it'll all be fun.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Okay, I want to have that feeling where I walk
in and go, oh.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
You'll have it.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
I can tell you you'll have it, and you'll walk
out going, oh, why what just happened to me? And
that So in a positive way.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Can I say, welcome to Wellington, all the very best,
and let's get this woman place open, let's get the
symphony orchestra back on people's minds, and let's have some fun.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
That sounds like a that sounds like a great agenda
for the future.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Mark Feudman there, And if you wanted to know what
a bursoon was, because I went well and didn't never
clue what a bursoon was. And I looked at Ethan,
he didn't have a clue what a bursoon was. It's
like a giant flute. It's what you know, you blow
into it. So that's what Mark played. The instrument he played.
He's a character, trust me on that. He's a character.
(10:37):
So there's some exciting things for the New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra and this accommodation between the Whington City Council, the
New Zealand SIMP for the Orchestra and Victoria University. And
I'm sure it's going to be an amazing facility. Just
was a little bit underwhelmed of how close it is
to the finish. It's a long way to go and
it's already cost US three hundred and twenty nine million
(10:59):
dollars and I want to keep that in the perspective.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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