At the Worlds's Edge Music Festival
At the World’s Edge Festival began in 2021, born from the shared vision of internationally renowned Kiwi violinists Benjamin Baker and Justine Cormack. Both had deep connections to and strong reputations within both Aotearoa’s musical world and international performance circuits, and they shared a belief that chamber music could thrive in a setting where the beauty of nature and the intimacy of performance were inseparable. The festival was conceived during a challenging moment, when pandemic restrictions were still reshaping cultural life. Against this backdrop, its launch was an act of determination: a belief that people would be eager to listen and share music in an inspiring environment as soon as possible.
From the outset, the Southern Lakes and Central Otago were more than just spectacular backdrops; they helped shape the festival’s identity. Te Atamira in Queenstown serves as the festival’s vibrant hub, hosting rehearsals, performances, and workshops that anchor its creative life. Alongside it, venues such as Rippon Hall in Wānaka and the Coronation Hall in Bannockburn have provided spaces where chamber musicians and audiences can connect intimately, an experience that is both hard to come by in the region and impossible in larger venues.
Since its inception, AWE has placed equal weight on artistry and community. Justine and Benjamin wanted to create an experience that was not just about concerts, but also about impact and inspiration. Partnerships with local schools and with initiatives such as the Turn Up the Music Trust have become a hallmark of AWE. Musicians have visited classrooms and early childhood centres, performing for and speaking with thousands of students.This outreach has created a huge sense of pride and ownership within the community, weaving the festival into the region’s cultural fabric rather than standing as an isolated event. Young people see and hear world-class artists up close, often for the first time, and in turn the musicians gain a connection to the place that extends well beyond the stage.
Now, as it marks its fifth anniversary, AWE has grown into a draw card for arts and chamber music lovers from across Aotearoa and overseas. Its unique group of international musicians and thematic programming, composer residencies - to date Salina Fisher, Gareth Farr, Victoria Kelly and Eve de Castro-Robinson and, this year, John Psathas - and commitment to showcasing emerging talent have earned AWE a global reputation for both exceptional quality and originality. This year’s festival also sees the participation of two towering figures in the classical world: New Zealand pianist Michael Houstoun and British violinist Anthony Marwood, whose involvement underscores the festival’s stature on the international stage. Visitors travel not only for the music but for the complete experience of art working in tandem with landscape, people, and place.
What began as a fledgling idea in the most uncertain of times has become a fixture on the world’s cultural calendar, drawing together music, community, and the natural beauty of its setting in a way that is unmistakably AWE in character yet always new and always evolving.
At the World’s Edge Festival runs from 4 – 12 October 2025, with performances in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell and Bannockburn. The AWE+ series offers free events across all festival venues, culminating with a tour of schools throughout the district between 13 - 17 October.
