The Manawatū Sinfonia is a community orchestra that performs three to four major concerts each year, often featuring a professional soloist in a concerto and a large-scale symphony. Its repertoire is as varied as its conductors, from pure classics composed by the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, through to pleasant light works, and onto the exhilarating sounds of film score. In the forty years that the group has been running over 1000 players have been a part of it, many of whom have taken up professional positions in leading New Zealand and overseas orchestras.

The Manawatū Youth Orchestra endeavours to provide a programme that is both exciting and stimulating for players, mixing the challenges of many periods of music into two colourful concerts each year. At present the Youth Orchestra includes about 50 players, but they welcome further members during their audition process at the start of each year.

The Manawatū Scottish Pipe Band was established in 1925 and is New Zealand’s largest Pipe Band organisation, with more than 110 members. It is comprised of three competing bands: the main Grade One Band, Grade Two Band, and a Grade Four/Juvenile Youth Development Band, and also has an active supporters club. The band has a close affiliation with the Manawatū Scottish Society.