The World’s Edge Festival, which opened today (October 7) in Queenstown, comes to Bannockburn tomorrow evening (October 8), then plays Cromwell on Thursday (October 12) to a sold-out Cloudy Bay Shed.

The 2023 At the World’s Edge Festival (AWE) organisers were thrilled to learn earlier in the week that their composer-in-residence, Victoria Kelly, had been awarded one of Aotearoa’s most prestigious music awards, the SOUNZ Contemporary Award/Te Tohu Auaha, celebrating excellence in contemporary composition. 

Victoria received the award for her highly praised composition, Requiem, which was premiered at the Auckland Arts Festival by the Auckland Philharmonia with tenor Simon O’Neill and soprano Jayne Tankersley.

The award came as no surprise to AWE Artistic Director, Benjamin Baker. 

“Victoria has been a leading light in Aotearoa’s music scene for a long while and we are absolutely thrilled that she has received this thoroughly well deserved award. Her CV reads like a who’s who of the music world - from classical musicians to contemporary artists such as Tami Neilson, Anika Moa and Shapeshifter - and we could not be happier to have her add AWE composer-in-residence to her accomplishments. 

“We’ll certainly be raising a glass or two in celebration of this fantastic recognition of her endless talents.” 

Victoria’s homage to New Zealand nostalgia: Goodnight Kiwi for solo piano will be performed tomorrow evening in the intimate surrounds of Bannockburn’s Coronation Hall as part of the festival programme Hommàge.

Many New Zealanders will remember the animated kiwi whose arrival onto the screens of Aotearoa signalled the end of television programming for the day. Victoria played this piece to her mother in her final days, the piece becoming as much a tribute to her dying mother as it was to an iconic Kiwi moment. 

For tickets and more information on the full festival programme go to The Central App What's On guide or head to www.worldsedgefestival.com.