A rare treat is in store for all Mercury Bay music lovers when the renowned NZTrio returns to Whitianga next week.

Creative Mercury Bay is proud to present the trio made up of violinist Justine Cormack, cellist Ashley Brown and pianist Sarah Watkins at the Whitianga Town Hall on Friday, September 18.

The NZTrio, from left: pianist Sarah Watkins, violinist Justine Cormack and cellist Ashley Brown will be performing at the Whitianga Town Hall on Friday, September 18. Photo: Supplied

The NZTrio will be performing their brilliant SURGE programme which guarantees to 'tousle, soothe, and excite' and features works by Frederic Chopin, Camille Saint-Saens, plus New Zealand composer David Hamilton.

The evening will start with Chopin's Piano Trio in g minor, Opus 8 - a dramatic and passionate piece and the only piano trio written by the composer.

It will be followed by Napier-born David Hamilton's The Faraday Cage which was commissioned by the NZTrio and explores the idea of sparks and electric current running around the surface of an object.

The final hurrah for the evening will be Saint-Saens' Piano Trio No.2, Opus 92 which promises to charm and transport audiences.

Chair Jan Wright says the creative trust owes a huge thank you to a local couple who've generously loaned their grand piano for this concert, and to Insurance Plus/NZI and Amoova piano shifters for making it possible.

'Borrowing the piano has added a whole other layer of complexity and expense to the arrangements for this concert,” says Jan, 'but CMB feels strongly that our audiences and the Trio deserve the very best instrument we can provide.

'I know the quality of sound will be magnificent, so the extra effort will be well worthwhile."

It's been another jam packed year for the NZTrio, with performances at the Auckland Arts Festival, Wanaka's Festival of Colour, the Chamber Music NZ's Composer Connections Tour, their own highly popular Auckland Loft Series, and most recently, Australia's Darwin Festival.

On top of this, they've been running their first NZTrio Composer's Competition for tertiary students throughout New Zealand, and are planning their 8th tour to China this December.

These kiwi greats continue to solidify their position as both a ‘national treasure' and industry leaders,” adds Jan.

SunLive has one double pass to give away to one lucky reader who can name one of the composers who will be featured during the concert?

Visit SunLive's competition section to enter. Entries must be received by Wednesday, September 16.

Creative Mercury Bay proudly presents the NZTrio SURGE concert at the Whitianga Town Hall on Friday, September 18, from 7pm. Tickets cost $25 and are available over the counter at Whitianga Paper Plus, by emailing: [email protected] or by calling 07-866-5698.

For more information visit Creative Mercury Bay's website at: www.creativemercurybay.co.nz

Check out the NZTrio performing New Zealand composer Jack Body's ‘Fire in the Belly' below: