The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in action. Its chief executive, Barbara Glaser, has raised concerns about the increased presence of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Auckland.

The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra has raised concerns with the Government over another orchestra's presence in its patch.

It has also suggested the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra not present a Beethoven season in Auckland because it may affect the ticket sales for its own season.

But the Ministry for Culture and Heritage has looked at recent NZSO touring numbers and believes there is more capacity in the Auckland market for orchestras.

It also said NZSO wasn't being unreasonable taking Beethoven to Auckland, nine months before APO presents its own show.

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Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra chief executive Barbara Glaser said her organisation was in frequent dialogue with NZSO, making sure there was a fair balance of performances from both orchestras.

Ross Giblin/Stuff Separate Beethoven performances by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra fall within nine months of each other, something the APO isn't happy about (file photo).

And while the Ministry had looked at the number of NZSO performances in Auckland and maintained there hadn't been a "significant increase", the rise had been enough to turn heads at APO.

In 2016, the NZSO performed 14 times in Auckland, but that number had jumped to 19 for the 2019 season.

The APO had raised concerns with the ministry in a meeting, ministry spokesman Guy Beatson said.

The 250-year anniversary of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven's death will be marked in 2020 by the APO, which is set to perform in May of that year.

"Their concern was in general about the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra increasing its presence in Auckland," Beatson said.

"However, the data we have indicates there hasn't been any significant increase."

NZSO chief executive Christopher Blake said his orchestra worked closely with APO to ensure schedules complemented each other, and said reports showed Auckland wasn't over-serviced with orchestral music.

Performance numbers fluctuated every year, he said, and a ministry-led review in 2013 showed there was capacity in the Auckland market for more orchestras.

"Auckland has scope for growing paid audiences and there is scope for both the APO and the NZSO to perform regularly in the city," Blake said, quoting from the report.

APO's Barbara Glaser said the NZSO was a national orchestra that toured the country, and said in Auckland, it was important both orchestras operated with a "sustainable balance.

"[The schedule should] represent the best possible value to taxpayers," she said.

She did not respond to questions about how an increased NZSO presence would affect the APO.

While the past three years had seen an extra five NZSO shows added to the Auckland schedule, other main centres had remained relatively stable.

Christchurch hosted six performances each year since 2016, Dunedin four to five, and Wellington had picked up an extra three, raising its tally from 15 in 2016 to 18 in 2018.