Brent Stewart

Brent Stewart is a leading New Zealand conductor, percussionist, and pianist with a dynamic career spanning prestigious roles, premieres, and contributions to music education.

He recently worked as orchestral recording producer on Nickelodeon's Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, and arranged music for the New Zealand feature film, Tinā.

Brent has conducted the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, and Manukau Symphony Orchestra. Appointed Orchestra Wellington’s first intern assistant conductor in 2012, he remains a regular guest conductor.

Since 2014, Brent has been Music Director of Orpheus Choir Wellington, leading dramatic and emotionally charged performances of works such as Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony, Orff's Carmina Burana, Bach’s B Minor Mass, and Mozart’s Requiem. Under his leadership, Orpheus has grown to its largest-ever membership and regularly collaborates with Orchestra Wellington and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

A champion of New Zealand music, Brent has premiered numerous percussion, orchestral, and choral works. In 2007, he premiered Karlo Margetic’s Xylophone Concerto with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and recorded it with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. More recently, he served as assistant conductor for Claire Cowan’s Cinderella with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and as Assistant Producer for the NZSO’s recording of Hansel & Gretel. In 2021, he conducted the New Zealand premiere of Lucy Mulgan’s Red! with New Zealand Opera, followed by the world premiere of Dame Gillian Whitehead’s Ngā Whetū o Matariki in 2023 and Takerei Komene’s E Kiwi E in 2024.

From 2007 to 2017, Brent was Music Director of Hutt Valley Orchestra, known for bold programming including Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.3, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, and Mahler’s Symphony No.1. He also led ten symphonic workshops, covering major repertoire including Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, and Holst’s The Planets.

Brent’s work extends into pop and crossover projects, including Synthony, where symphony meets electronic dance music. Performances include Electric Avenue and a concert at Marina Bay, Singapore. He also conducted the NZSO alongside pop star Benee for Benee Live with the NZSO. His musical theatre work includes Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, and West Side Story.

Brent is passionate about music education. He was Head of Music at Wellington East Girls’ College from 2010 to 2020, where he led the school choir, Cantala, to international success, including first place at the Summa Cum Laude Youth International Music Festival in Vienna. In 2023, he adjudicated the New Zealand Choral Federation’s Big Sing Finale and continues to work with schools, festivals, and young musicians.

As a percussionist, Brent is Orchestra Wellington’s Section Principal Timpani. He has performed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, and the NZSO. In January 2024, he travelled to Tokyo for his third season of The Phantom of the Opera in Japan.

As a pianist, Brent has been Assistant Director and Pianist for the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir since 2013, working on five albums and international tours to Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and China. He has also accompanied at the Gisborne International Music Competition and the National Concerto Competition, working with award-winning marimba soloist Yoshiko Tsuruta.

Brent also regularly produces recording projects for the NZSO and directs their live stream filming.