The Thames Music Group‘s July Sunday Concert will feature acclaimed New Zealand pianist Stephen De Pledge, performing a programme that is sure to delight fans of Beethoven and Liszt while introducing audiences to a contemporary work by New Zealand composer Jeroen Speak.
Stephen has enjoyed an extensive international career as both a soloist and chamber musician since winning the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s prestigious Gold Medal in his final year of study. His concerto appearances have included performances with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (London) and the New London Orchestra.
He has appeared on BBC radio and television and has made more than 20 commercial recordings, including premiere recordings of works by Arvo Pärt, Henryk Górecki and Ned Rorem. Throughout his career he has collaborated with leading ensembles including the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, the Scottish Ensemble and Chamber Domaine.
Stephen has also performed at major international festivals, including Bargemusic in New York, the Edinburgh International Festival and the City of London Festival, where he has frequently given world premieres of new works. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, he has commissioned numerous composers in New Zealand and overseas, building an extensive repertoire of new works for solo piano and chamber ensembles.
Alongside his performing career, Stephen is Head of Piano at the University of Auckland.
The Thames programme spans Beethoven’s remarkable musical journey, opening with his first piano sonata, written when he was just 12 years old, and concluding with his final sonata, Op.111, composed near the end of his life and widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of the piano repertoire.
The concert will conclude with two colourful works by Franz Liszt and a quirky contemporary composition by London-based New Zealand composer Jeroen Speak.
Concert details
What: Thames Music Group Sunday Concert featuring Stephen De Pledge
When: Sunday, July 12, 2026, at 2pm
Where: St George’s Church, Mackay Street, Thames
Tickets: $20 adults, $15 Thames Music Group members, free for those under 18.
