Prize money for musical maestro

Media Release

Friday 13 February 2015

Prize money for musical maestro

Whanganui UCOL Music Lecturer Lizzie de Vegt has won a UCOL staff award for noteworthy personal and professional progress in her first two years at UCOL.

The $5000 The Gill Presland Award was presented to Lizzie for her special commitment to meeting the learning needs of students and the significant relationships she has built with industry and other partners.

Lizzie is an award-winning composer, sound artist, singer-songwriter, performer, researcher, and now a Teacher.

Chair of the UCOL Staff Council Aaron Steele says Lizzie goes above and beyond her job at UCOL.

“Lizzie’s primary job is to teach students music, but she goes further and helps them to learn discipline, life skills, coping strategies and stress management.”

Lizzie is committed to incorporating Ka Hikitia principles into her classes, bringing shared kai each month and working to foster her students’ sense of pride by actively promoting the events and gigs her students perform in.

Lizzie has built excellent industry connections which allow her students to perform in schools, pubs, cafes and restaurants and parades, as well as being a highlight of Whanganui UCOL graduations.

Lizzie plans on using her prize money for professional development. “I will try and get to have some lessons with top musicians and teachers in the United States. I would love to buy some music gear too.”

Lizzie is currently organising a concert to showcase Whanganui Youth Musicians. The concert will be held at Mint Café, 6pm – late on Friday February 27. The bands being featured are: Too Cliché (girl duo), Te Tokowhitu-ā Tū (band (from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Tupoho) ContraBand (last year’s Rock Quest Winners), Fynthetic (Synth rock band), DC and the Experience (Daniel Harding), Logan Anderson Band (singer song writer) and Rezist (UCOL Diploma Graduates from Palmerston North Reggae Band). It will be all ages free event to promote youth music of Whanganui.

Whanganui UCOL is taking enrolments now for the Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance (Level 4), starting 16 March.

ENDS

Notes to reporters:

Lizzie de Vegt holds a masters in music (s1st Class Honours) from Waikato University. She sings in Clazzmatic Boogie Orchestra and sings and plays bass in Whanganui’s only female 5 piece pop band Luminosity. Her music covers a wide range of styles from contemporary classical music, electroacoustic theatre music, to singer-songwriter songs. Her compositions have been performed in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the United States of America.

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