Celebrate NZ Music Month at local libraries

4 May 2015

Celebrate NZ Music Month at local libraries

Rock on at Auckland Council’s libraries during May for NZ Music Month and listen to live music, get down with the kids for musical storytimes and rhymetimes, or learn a musical instrument for free.

“NZ Music Month is the perfect time to point out that libraries are not just about borrowing books, but are also creative spaces where musicians and community groups can gather to learn more about their craft,” says Cr Cathy Casey, Community Development and Safety committee chair.

“We have a huge variety of entertainment for all music fans including jam sessions, learning to make music on your iPad, and free concerts, trivia quizzes and ukulele workshops.”

Auckland Libraries are also collaborating with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to offer a series of events through Sistema Aotearoa, its free music programme for kids based in South Auckland.

Regular Auckland Libraries’ children’s programmes like Storytime, Wriggle & Rhyme and Rhymetime will take on a musical theme.

NZ Music Month events hosted by local libraries include:

Central

Letters in Wartime

Thursday 7 May, 6.30pm - 7.30pm, Parnell Library

Wine and food will be provided in this special collaboration to commemorate WWI of letters held in the special collections at the Auckland War Memorial museum, written by NZ soldiers from the front during WWI, and set to music for singers from the NZ Opera and full orchestral accompaniment. Composers will chat about their setting of the letters, which will be able to be viewed on facsimile.

Remix the Orchestra sample session demo
Friday 29 May, 4pm - 5pm, Avondale Library
Meet young remix artist Loxmyn and hear him demo his original music. Bring your own instrument or rapping ability, and hear what can happen when you are sampled by Loxmyn and remixed!

North

Harp music in the library
Saturday 9 May, 11.30am - 12.30pm, Warkworth Library
Come and listen to talented local musican and music teacher Becky Swan play this beautiful instrument. Becky has played piano and viola from age 5 and the harp since the 1980s. She will be playing a wide variety of music and will be available to meet and chat after the concert.

Pots and pans storytime jam
Tuesday 12 May, 10.30am - 11am, Mahurangi East Library
Bring your teddy, doll or other favourite toy to enjoy the pots and pans storytime jam. Earplugs optional.

South

Tea & Topics: Gareth Shute, musician
Thursday 7 May, 10am - 11am, Manukau Library
Listen to Gareth Shute discuss his experiences as a writer and musician. He has written five ground-breaking non-fiction books about music and arts in New Zealand. He works as a digital librarian at Auckland Libraries.

Sistema Aotearoa Concert Performances
Wednesday 20 May, 3.45pm - 4.15pm & Thursday 21 May, 3.45pm-4.15pm, Otara Library
Don't miss this chance to come and hear students from New Zealand's best-known music programme, Sistema Aotearoa, perform. Each week over 250 students from seven local Otara primary schools attend Sistema Aotearoa, which is based at Otara Music Art Centre, to learn string, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments. Sistema Aotearoa is a vibrant and involved part of the Otara community; students have undertaken a number of high-profile TV, media and public performances and are proud to be playing as part of the 2015 NZ Music Month.

West

Digital Music Making Session
Saturday 2 May, 2pm - 3pm, Te Atatu Peninsula Library
Free kids digital music making sessions for 7 - 12 year olds. Have some fun and create your own music using a range of apps.

Old fashioned sing-along
Saturday 30 May, 11am - 11.30am, Glen Eden Library
Has it been too long since you went to a good old fashioned sing-along? Come to Glen Eden library for a trip down memory lane with NZ's favourite songs of the 1950s and 60s.

For the full list of New Zealand Music Month events at Auckland Libraries visit:

http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/EN/Events/Events/pages/nzmm.aspx

ENDS

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