New Zealand-born cellist Matthias Balzat is performing down under again, and about to thrill audiences in Queenstown with his passionate and sensitive playing style.
The 25-year-old was born in Auckland, but now lives in Dusseldorf, in Germany, and has established himself as an international soloist and chamber musician.
The seventh child of musically-gifted parents, he took up viola at the tender age of 3, only because even the smallest cellos on the market were too unwieldy for his tiny frame.
Balzat calls the cello his weapon of choice.
‘‘What I mean by that is that a weapon speaks to the relationship I have with the instrument.
‘‘With the cello, I’m one and the same, and without it I’m completely hopeless on the stage.
‘‘In a sense, I need my weapon to defend myself.’’
Music was a constant in his home growing up on Auckland’s North Shore.
But he’s grateful for the hours of practice he put in.
‘‘I don’t think it was too disciplined, it taught me to understand the necessity of hard work.
‘‘It developed a clear-cut character trait in all of us.’’
Although busy touring all over Europe, Balzat makes a point of returning home annually.
And for his upcoming concert at The Hills, in Arrowtown, he’ll be playing with his mother, Vivian.
‘‘My mother ended up composing quite a bit for our family band, she’s written a piece called Carnival — a one-movement piece — about all the joys of walking through a fair.
‘‘It’s quirky.
‘‘She’s been accompanying me since I could walk.
‘‘It’s nostalgic to play together and there’s an indescribable intuition we have when performing.’’
The Hills show will also feature Beethoven, Strauss, Bach and Liszt.
Classical Concert at The Hills: An Evening with Matthias and Viv Balzat, tomorrow, 7pm. Tickets, $75.05, via eventfinda
