Ashley Brown

Acclaimed as a ‘virtuosic’ performer of ‘unimpeachable artistry’ (NZ Herald), Ashley Brown is an award-winning soloist, chamber musician and recording artist. Currently Principal Cellist of Auckland Philharmonia, he was a founding member of NZTrio with whom he played for 23 years, and is a passionate advocate for new music and its power to express the truth and complexity of our place and time.

A former student of Alexander Ivashkin (Christchurch), Aldo Parisot (Yale) and William Pleeth (London), Ashley’s playing reflects his diverse musical influences, his deep musical curiosity and his love of collaboration. As a young performer he achieved international competition success, winning the National Concerto Competition, Adam International Cello Competition and the ROSL Music Competition, among others. After completing his Artist Diploma at Yale, he went on to gain a Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Auckland, exploring the collaborative relationship between composer and performer.

Ashley has performed, recorded and toured extensively within New Zealand, Australia, Asia, USA, UK and Europe. During his time with NZTrio he was fundamental in the commissioning and championing of more than 70 new works by New Zealand composers,receiving a CANZ Lilburn citation for his contribution to Aotearoa’s musical landscape.

He has worked with an incredible collection of artists and composers including Dame Gillian Whitehead, Krzysztof Penderecki, Moana Maniapoto, Phil Dadson, Nadia Reid, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Richard Nunns, Xia Jing, Michael Houstoun, Horomono Horo, Kristjan Järvi and Neil Finn — and continues to enjoy a career that explores and embraces the full range of the musical spectrum.