Pulse of Life bursts with the thrill of discovery, bringing together world and New Zealand premieres alongside beloved classics in one unmissable evening, with special guest MC Kate Goldstone, a Cardiac Anaesthetist and former bassoon player for the APO. 

At its heart is the world premiere of Bjørn Arntsen's Viola Concerto, a deeply moving work inspired by the rhythm of the human heartbeat, performed with artistry by Robert Ashworth. The programme also features Mozart's ever-charming Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Eve De Castro-Robinson's mesmerising Whorl for solo bass drum, a piece as hypnotic as its name suggests. Audiences will be among the first in New Zealand to experience Caroline Shaw's celebrated Entr'acte, while Peter Scholes' Blue Rock transports listeners to the vast, frozen silence of the Antarctic. 

From the beating heart to the frozen south, Pulse of Life is a concert that spans the full breadth of human experience.