Do chickens like classical music? A Friday morning stunt in Hawke’s Bay proved they most certainly do. 

Members of the esteemed New Zealand Symphony Orchestra have performed for the likes of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Howard Morrison and Benee but on Friday they faced one of their toughest critics yet: a hungry flock of thousands of Ross chickens. 

It was all part of a collaboration between Bostock Brothers Farm and the NZSO to promote ethical farming. 

While slightly hesitant at first, the concert-going chooks eventually crowded around the clearly delighted musicians as they performed the world premiere of Chook Symphony No 1, created by composer and sound designer Hamish Oliver. 

“Never could we have imagined producing a composition especially for a flock of chooks, let alone performing for them, but the opportunity was too good to pass up,” NZSO chief executive Peter Biggs said. 

“The NZSO, like Bostock, is about being world-class and about well-being, so the two organisations have combined to create something very different and very new, and we hope it catches on.” 

The orchestra did some research and found instances where chickens responded particularly well to baroque music, which became the basis for the roughly two-minute symphony. 

“That’s strings, oboe, bassoon and harpsichord,” Biggs said. 

Douglas Mews, the NZSO's musical director, tickles the keys to mimic a harpsichord as he plays Chook Symphony No 1. Photo / Warren Buckland 

After creating the composition, a sound recording was sent to test it out on the chickens. 

“They loved it,” Biggs said. 

Judging by the delight on the players’ faces, it wasn’t just the chickens that were enjoying themselves. 

“The players love this, it’s a new experience for them and they get to play the music that they love,” Biggs said. 

For Bostock Brothers free-range chicken owners Ben and George Bostock, the aim for the collaboration also acted as a way to showcase the organic nature of chicken farming. 

“Chicken farming is incredibly complex and organic farming even more so, and we’re constantly looking for ways to better our practices, ensuring our chickens are happy, healthy and organic,” Ben Bostock said. 

“While one may consider this a different approach to farming, we know investing in a quality environment for our birds will only further yield quality results.” 

George said it was as much about giving the birds something special as it was about encouraging the wider industry to do more for their flocks. 

“When we started this journey, our perception of free-range chicken farming was birds roaming freely in open fields, but we didn’t see this, because in reality that’s not the case. 

“This really spurred us on to make sure Bostock Brothers’ production matched that idyllic free-range vision.” 

NZSO members Tessa Frazer, left, and Amy Clough using their instrument reeds to make chicken noises during Chook Symphony No 1. Photo / Warren Buckland 

He said the response so far from the chickens had been great, and they would continue to play classical music in the sheds in future. 

“There’s lots of science that says classical music is really good for animal welfare and the response from our chickens has been really, really good.” 

So was the piece the talk of the coop or a feathery flop? 

Hawke’s Bay Today’s review can be summed up in just one word: im-peck-able. 

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.