Sonia & Nigel return home to Auckland for a special concert with pianist Ben Fernandez - a collaboration bringing together three musicians with a shared love of improvisation, melody and musical storytelling. Expect an eclectic mix of folk, jazz, gypsy and world music, along with songs and stories from the road.

This concert marks the culmination of Sonia & Nigel’s musical journey around France, Europe and Aotearoa New Zealand - and celebrates 10 years since Sonia moved to Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau. After all those kilometres, songs, adventures and encounters, it feels especially meaningful to finish the journey with a homecoming concert here in our own city.

Sonia & Nigel duo

Sonia & Nigel are a multi-cultural acoustic duo featuring French-American Paris-born Sonia Wilson on vocals & ukulele and Kiwi-American virtuoso musician Nigel Gavin on 7-string guitar. They weave French, Kiwi and American songs with their own original compositions and inspiration from their travels around the world. After meeting and playing together for the first time at a folk festival during Sonia’s first visit to New Zealand on a solo round-the-world trip in December 2014, the pair have since become a well-loved duo in the New Zealand music scene and beyond — sharing songs as a vehicle for peace, joy, healing and community-building; celebrating beauty, love and ecology through music.

Ben Fernandez
Musical Director, Composer, Arranger, Educator

Ben Fernandez is a classically trained jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He has a Masters’ Degree in Music, majoring in Jazz Performance, from the University of Auckland, as well as degrees in Physics, Computer Science and Business Management.

Ben has performed at concerts and events in more than 25 countries and is an award-winning composer for jingles, TV shows and short films. He has released 10 albums of his music in New Zealand and also works as an educator, teaching music at schools and colleges in Auckland. He conducts regular improvisation workshops in New Zealand and overseas and has recently completed composing music for a new rock musical to be staged later this year.

Come along, settle in with a drink and something delicious from the cabinet, and join us for this special evening of music, stories and celebration.

Tickets: $25 + booking fees in advance through Eventfinda, or $30 cash on the door.

Merci & à bientôt!