We're excited to be hosting roaming baby grand piano Undergrand for two special shows in our Native Arboretum on Saturday, 15th March.

Thelonious Tree - an exciting musical adventure for tamariki ages 6-9

Undergrand - enchanting classical and easy-listening music for all ages

Thelonious Tree | 10.30am-11.45am and 1-2.30pm

Discover how wonderful our connection to trees can be in this enchanting interactive show, story and scavenger hunt accompanied by live piano music.

Written by home-grown poet Asha Lovegrove and presented by storyteller and ecologist Rosi Merz and musician Joe Dobson, Thelonious Tree is an evocative and interactive show for tamariki ages 6-9.

The Baby Grand awaits in the shade of our Native Arboretum. How did it get here? How will it speak with these trees?

This free event has limited capacity. Registration is not required. Please arrive a few minutes early to get settled; the show will begin promptly.

Keep an eye on our website and the Facebook event for updates and postponement notices in the event of bad weather.

Saturday 15th March
Show 1: 10.30am - 11.45am
Show 2: 1pm - 2.30pm
Native Arboretum

Access from the main car park by the roundabout. Vehicle access from Green Lane West only.

Undergrand with Flavio Villani | 3-4.30pm

Experience this phenomenal pop up piano. Undergrand has been travelling the motu and is popping up in Cornwall Park for one day only.

Bring a picnic, drinks, friends and whānau with you, and enjoy an enchanting afternoon concert in the embrace of our trees.

World renowned pianist Flavio Villani will play a delightful programme of classical and easy listening music.

This free performance will take place in our Native Arboretum below Huia Lodge and the Memorial Steps.

Keep an eye on our website and the Facebook event for updates and postponement notices in the event of bad weather.

Saturday 15th March
3pm - 4.30pm
Native Arboretum

Access from the main car park by the roundabout. Vehicle access from Green Lane West only.

About Flavio Villani

Flavio Villani is an Italian-New Zealand pianist known for his expressive performances and international career. Originally from Italy, he moved to New Zealand in 2008 after working in IT in Barcelona to fully dedicate himself to music. He holds a Bachelor of Piano Performance from the Conservatory "G. Martucci" in Salerno and a Master of Piano Performance with first-class honours from the University of Auckland, where he studied under Stephen De Pledge. Currently, he is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Waikato, working under Katherine Austin, with additional studies in performance practice under Professor David Dolan at the Guildhall School in London.

Flavio’s musical journey was captured in the documentary Crossing Rachmaninoff, which followed his debut as a soloist with the Orchestra Filarmonica della Calabria in 2015. Since then, he has performed with orchestras including the Orchestra of CalArts (US), New Plymouth Orchestra, Taranaki Symphony, Hawke’s Bay Orchestra, and Auckland Symphony Orchestra (NZ).

His recital and festival appearances span the globe, featuring at the Venice Biennale, The Gurwitz in San Antonio, Lamezia Festival in Italy, Pianino Chopin Festival in Mallorca, Mattutino in Melbourne, Bloomsbury Festival in London, and Auckland Arts Festival.

Flavio is the director of L’Accademia, a music school in St Heliers, Auckland, dedicated to fostering musical excellence. He has also curated and directed several concert series, including The Repertoire Journey, Musical Offerings, and The Italian Consulate Series.

He continues to perform internationally while developing new projects that celebrate both classical and contemporary repertoire, expanding the role of music in cultural storytelling. In 2025, he will release an album blending classical works with his own improvisatory explorations and compositions, reflecting his deep connection to spontaneity and narrative in music.

Event information

Location
This event is held in the shade of the trees in our Native Arboretum (number 7 on the Cornwall Park map). This is below the Memorial Steps and Acacia Cottage and adjacent to the sunken toilets and main car park off the sunken round about.

How to get here
There is limited parking available in Cornwall Park, we suggest carpooling or using public transport where possible. Vehicle access to this area is by Green Lane West park gates only.

Bus
Bus route 650 stops outside Fresh Choice and Greenlane Clinical Centre on Green Lane West. It is a 1.2 km walk to Huia Lodge
Bus routes 30, 064, 309, OUT are available on Manukau Road with stops by Campbell Crescent. It is a 2km walk to Huia Lodge

Train
Huia Lodge is a 2km walk from Greenlane Train Station.

Ride share
The best address is Cornwall Park Bistro. Vehicle access to this area is from the Green Lane West gates only.

Accessibility
The Native Arboretum can only be accessed via uneven grass. There is an accessible pathway that surrounds this space. There are accessible toilets at the flagstaff car park and Cornwall Park Cafe.

Food and drink
Cornwall Park Cafe, Bistro and Creamery will be open during the day and close early afternoon. For more information about their offerings visit their website.

There are water fountains and limited BYO BBQ facilities also available in this area.

We suggest bringing your own picnic to enjoy in the shade of the trees. 

About Undergrand

Bringing Music to Nature

Imagine: A grand piano in a forest, the gentle melody of a sonata weaving with birdsong. An audience on the beach under a full moon, crashing waves amplifying the crescendos.

This is Undergrand: a fully self-contained performance platform that enables and creates immersive, unforgettable musical experiences.
With bespoke technology, they transport and install a beautiful white baby grand piano in surprising locations, from native bush to beach to city square. Undergrand curate special events, from stand-alone pop-up concerts to festival features, weddings and other celebrations.

www.undergrand.co.nz