Victoria and Massey in new musical partnership

MEDIA RELEASE 19 March 2004

Victoria and Massey Universities in new musical partnership

Students and staff from Victoria University and Massey University will collaborate publicly for the first time in a Minifest at St Andrews on the Terrace during the week leading up to Easter.

The two orchestral concerts are a first opportunity to showcase the combined musical talents of the Massey Conservatorium of Music and Victoria’s School of Music, which are coming together next year in the joint New Zealand School of Music.

The Symphonic Wind Band, a highly regarded and specialised ensemble overseas, is finally given its moment of glory in Wellington on Tuesday 6 April at 7.30pm. This is a chance to hear performances of works rarely performed in New Zealand. The group will be conducted by New Zealand Symphony Orchestra principal tuba player Andrew Jarvis.

Essential Strings, conducted by violinists Greg Squire and Donald Armstrong, will perform sumptuous string masterworks by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and Sallinen on Wednesday 7 April at 7.30pm. A highlight of the concert will be New Zealand composer Larry Pruden’s beautiful Soliloquy.

Tickets for individual concerts $15/$10/$5, or $20/$15/$10 for both, and can be purchased either from the School of Music office at Victoria University, the Conservatorium of Music office at Massey University or at the venue before the performances.

Live at Lunch

The staff and students of both schools are also collaborating in four free lunchtime concerts, spanning the full range of what both schools are capable of. There will be a chance to hear Baroque repertoire in period instrument performance, jazz and world music, and opera.

On Wednesday 7 April at 12.15pm members of Victoria University ensembles in residence, pianists Diedre Irons, Richard Mapp and Emma Sayers, and guitarist Matthew Marshall will play solo and chamber works in what will also be the opening concert in the St Andrews Lunchtime Series.

“The April concerts will demonstrate what we can look forward to in future from the New Zealand School of Music that Massey and Victoria are establishing as a joint venture”, said Dr Greer Garden, Head of the School of Music at Victoria University.

Associate Professor Matthew Marshall, Head of Massey’s Conservatorium agreed, saying that the concerts will show the potential for the School to be a centre of national and international standing in music. “The April concerts will also be a glimpse of the future for Wellington as we are committed to a New Zealand School of Music that enhances Wellington’s reputation as New Zealand’s cultural capital”.

ENDS

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