A heartfelt artistic collaboration, The 33 brings together award-winning poet Anne Kennedy and leading New Zealand pianist and Juilliard graduate Sarah Watkins in a tribute to life, grief, writing, and music. In 1973, after the death of her brother Philip, the then 14-year-old Kennedy consoled herself lying on a red rug in the family living room listening to Beethoven’s Thirty-three Variations on a Theme of Diabelli Opus 120.

Now, almost 50 years later, comes the stunning 2020 Ockham NZ Book Award shortlisted collection Moth Hour, thirty-three variations on a poem by Philip. Kennedy reads, interspersed with sixteen of the musical variations, in an exquisite hour of words and performance.

 

Writer Bios

Sarah Watkins

Pianist Sarah Watkins is a highly regarded performer and recording artist, perhaps best known as a founding member of NZTrio. A graduate of New York’s Juilliard School, she regularly appears as a freelance player with the APO and ACO, and is on the teaching staff at The University of Auckland.

Anne Kennedy

Award-winning poet, novelist, scriptwriter and teacher Anne Kennedy is the author of four novels, a novella, anthologised short stories, and four collections of poetry. Her collection Moth Hour was a finalist in the 2020 Ockham NZ Book Awards.