Auckland Council’s free summer concert series is returning to Parnell, with a weekend of Music in Parks concerts at Domain Rotunda.
Music in Parks: Country
Saturday 14 February 2026
6pm-8.30pm
Domain Rotunda
Music in Parks sets up shop in the iconic Domain Rotunda for back-to-back events this season, kicking off with a night of country and folk. Get ready for a little boot-scootin’ boogie, featuring NZ cowgirl Steffany Beck and folk duo Aro.
Pop-country star Steffany Beck will bring the charm to this beautiful setting on a summer’s evening. Steffany is a singer-songwriter with an impressive list of career highlights, including writing songs with celebrated Aotearoa singer-songwriter Bic Runga and performing with NZ music legend Jason Kerrison.
Award-winning husband and wife duo Aro (Charles and Emily Looker) open the night. Their performance is wholly original, blending Emily’s honey-voiced jazz with Charles’ full-throated percussive sound and shades of haka.
Music in Parks: Jazz
Sunday 15 February 2026
3-6pm
Domain Rotunda
Music in Parks returns to the Domain Rotunda for a Sunday afternoon of jazz featuring a triple treat of local greats. Prepare for a soulful experience with session player to the stars Thabani Gapara, rising jazz songstress Crystal Chen, and the innovative Arohana collective.
Headlining the afternoon is Zimbabwean-born saxophonist Thabani Gapara, whose sound is as commanding as it is soulful. His music is a vibrant fusion of Bantu rhythms, funk grooves, and boundless improvisation, connecting past, present, and future in a groove that demands to be felt.
Joining the line-up is Crystal Chen, part of the wave of young jazz musicians emerging in the Aotearoa scene. Her style is both nostalgic and contemporary, and she is already a fixture in the Tāmaki live circuit.
Opening the session is Arohana, a band that brings the groove with a captivating combo of Carnatic and traditional jazz.
