For the first time in more than four months, our national orchestra has played to a live audience.
And it's come as a welcome escape for one member after so long in lockdown.
Music to the ears of a live audience - the sound of our national orchestra echoing through our national museum.
"We love the New Zealand orchestra so we're just happy live music is happening again," one person told Newshub.
It's been four long months since the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra have played together in front of a live audience.
Te Papa is now playing host to different performances throughout the museum, free for the public.
"We're playing a bunch of pieces that we all played in the lockdown that we recorded remotely from each of our houses or bubbles," first violinist Malavika Gopal says.
Members of the orchestra played from their living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens to keep the music flowing.
"For artists that was a really tricky time, as for a lot of workers in New Zealand, hard to do live performances of course," says cellist Robert Ibell.
Those performances had to be cancelled up until the end of July.
"We're planning to go ahead as scheduled from August albeit a few tweaks here and there," cello section principal Andrew Joyce says.
Today came insight of what's to come and keen ears of all ages followed the journey around the museum.
"Wonderful opportunity to see such skilled musicians play," one person said.
And for the musicians it was a chance to get back on stage.
"It's been stressful with three young children in lockdown," Joyce says. "Coming to play in the orchestra is alway a rest."
A welcome relief for those playing and those listening.
