Undergrand
Imagine a piano in a park, atop a volcano, on a beach at sunset, in a forest in the late afternoon, on a busy city street with a musician tinkling the ivories...
Creating a surreal atmosphere in tune with leaves, water, the breeze, city traffic and people, Undergrand – a portable baby grand piano – pops up all over Tāmaki Makaurau, with music that moves the spirit and gives us reason to pause and reflect.
With a curated selection of talented rangatahi and professional pianists playing all styles and genres, along with an opportunity for public to share their talents, this pop up piano presents a range of recitals and unforgettable experiences that will undoubtedly make your day better, wherever you may be.
Undergrand travels to Piha, Cornwall Park, Mahurangi, Māngere Maunga, Takutai Square, Queen Street, Mission Bay, Manukau, Devonport, Sylvia Park, Henderson, Wenderholm Regional Park and Takapuna, and will close the Festival with live family karaoke in Aotea Square.
| Meet our Pianists |
Flavio Villani Flavio Villani is a New Zealand pianist who made Auckland his home after moving from Italy more than a decade ago. The journey towards his first solo performance with an orchestra was documented in the internationally acclaimed biopic documentary ‘Crossing Rachmaninoff’. The film followed his preparations for, and performance of, Rachmaninoff Concerto n.2 in Calabria in 2015. After that performance he subsequently took different soloist opportunities performing Rachmaninoff Concerto n.2, Tchaikovsky Concerto n.1 and the Warsaw Concerto with the Orchestra of CalArts in Los Angeles, the New Plymouth Orchestra, the Taranaki Symphony, the Bay of Plenty Symphonia and the Auckland Symphony Orchestra. 
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Joe Kaptein
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| Karl Benton
Having worked in the New Zealand music industry as an educator, performer, and creative for over thirty years Karl has extensive experiences in many fields including studio recording, band arranging, music direction, touring, teaching and artist mentoring. He has represented New Zealand as a musician many times over and performed and toured with iconic New Zealand artists such as Kantuta, Ardijah, Che Fu, Jackie Clarke, Jason Eli/Groovadelica Records and John Rowles. |
| Kevin Field
Pianist and composer Kevin Field has collaborated with some of the top international names in jazz including Grammy nominated guitarists Mike Moreno and Nir Felder who feature on his latest album Soundtology, released worldwide by European label Timezone. 
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| Mark Baynes Mark is a jazz pianist with a contemporary leaning residing in Auckland, New Zealand. Alongside his academic pursuits, he is primarily known as a performer, composer, and accompanist. Mark hosts The Jazz Show on 95bFM and contributes to NZ Musician Magazine's X-Factory column. Mark forms one half of the band Goldsmith Baynes, who released an album in 2022, contributing to the Waiata Anthems series and headlining the Tauranga Jazz festival and the Auckland Arts Festival 2023. Mark also made appearances on various New Zealand TV networks and have collaborated with diverse acts in New Zealand, including King Kapisi, Che-Fu, Don McGlashan, Anika Moa, and more.  |
| Robin Kelly
Robin is a regular on the Auckland music and theatre scene. He hosts the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival’s famous Piano Bar, runs the “coolest choir in Auckland” (NZ Herald) Stimmung Choir (www.stimmung.co.nz), and has been a composer, performer, and musical director for many of Auckland’s leading theatre companies including Auckland Theatre Company, Silo Theatre, Red Leap, and Fractious Tash. He has toured nationally with Julia Deans (Both Sides Now), Jennifer Ward-Lealand (Delicious Oblivion), and with his (auto)biographical show Valerie (Last Tapes Theatre Company) which received the prestigious ‘Fringe First’ award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the New Zealand Theatre Award for Best Original Music, and the Auckland Theatre Award for Most Original Production. 
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| Robert Wiremu
Robert studied at Victoria University, the University of Auckland and Queensland Conservatory of Music. Recent collaborations include An Evening with Simon O’Neill, NZ’s own international Wagnerian star, Kiri and Friends (training the chorus for a concert at Vector Arena as part of the Rugby World Cup, 2011 festival featuring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra); celebrated New Zealand artist Michael Parekowhai, on the launch of his entry for the Venice Art Biennale, On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer; The Island Chai concert series with Aivale Cole, Benjamin Makisi, Anna Pierard and Phil Rhodes at the Auckland Museum, a concert for the union heads of the Rugby World Cup, 2011. He was artistic director of the V8 Vocal Ensemble, training the group for two performances of Berio’s Sinfonia with James Judd and the NZSO. Robert was formerly conductor of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir and voice clinician for the New Zealand Youth Choir and VOICES New Zealand Chamber Choir.  |
Hon Paul Goldsmith |
| Seumanu Simon Matāfai
Seumanu Simon Matāfai JP is a proud Kiwi-born Samoan music teacher, choir master and consultant for business/governance and indigenous leadership. He picked up piano lessons around 10 years old and started playing for the Grey Lynn Samoan Methodist from the age of 11. Decades later, Seumanu is an alumnus of the University of Auckland School of Music & has featured with international & local music celebrities whilst on tours, TV, radio & film.  |
| Leanne Zha
Leanne is a Chinese Kiwi and from Edendale Primary School. She enjoys music and has been learning piano from Kim Naden since 7 years old. She loves animals and is also a ballerina. Charlie Zha Charlie is a NZ born Chinese and from Auckland Normal Intermediate. He is fond of art and anything creative. He has been learning piano from Kim Naden since 8 years old. He loves reading and is also a martial artist.  |
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