Music

Encouraging musical creativity in the Manawatū and Rangitīkei region through the development of music performance skills and the creating of new music works.

Concept

The aim of the Trust is to nurture innovative ideas and talent by helping groups and individuals through the steps necessary to bring ideas and skills through the development stages to worthwhile outcomes.

Emphasis in the provision of grants in the areas of musical creativity will always be on encouragement of the new and contribution to the community and musical merit.

Projects should originate from within the Manawatū and Rangitīkei region and show benefit to the region.

Grants can be applied for by anyone resident in, or closely connected to, that region.

Scope

The Music projects that the Trust aims to encourage may include:

  • creation and performance of new compositions

  • new forms of music

  • formation of new musical groups

  • bringing together and enhancing different musical groups for specific activities

  • workshops and master classes aimed at stimulating new ideas in music and/or a mastery of performance skills

Note: The end result of any project will be a local music performance, or a series of performances as a demonstration of the new skills attained and/or the new music created.

The musical styles supported by the Trust include:

  • classical or art music

  • jazz

  • cultural music

2023

  • Sai Shravan Natarajanm – New Orchestral Work for Manawatū Sinfonia

  • Samantha Millar and Salvation Army Just Brass – Composition and Development of Music for ‘Just Brass’

  • Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori – Māori Artist in Residence Engagement Programme for Manawatū Rangitahi

  • GBWE – Showcase weekend

  • Renaissance Singers – Far Out! Godwits, Guitars & Songsters

2021

  • Jeff McNeil, Manawatū Youth Orchestra Inc – Orchestral String and Wind Intensive Workshop

  • Manawatū Youth for Music Trust – Composer in Residence

  • Guy Broadley, Renaissance Singers – When Choir and Percussion Meet

  • Kathy Clark – The Gumboots Brass and Wind Ensemble

  • Kane Parsons – The Legend of Okatia

  • Shellie Hanley – Te Huia. A Visual Sound Portrait

2019

  • Manawatunes Barbershop Chorus – to bring a New Zealand barbershop quartet to Palmerston North to run workshops for the chorus and high schools.

  • Rodger Fox, The Houstoun-Fox – CD recording project.

2017

  • Renaissant Singers (Guy Donaldson) – for a Samuel Arnold world premiere performance.

  • Phil Boniface – for ‘Oro’ Concert series.

  • Palmerston North Choral Society (Heather Murphy) – to commission work for centennial concert.

  • Toi Warbrick – for KONO, song cycle for a new town.

  • Manawatū Overtones Chorus (Liz Watts) – for masterclass workshops.

  • Manawatū Youth Orchestra Sinfonia (Jeff McNeill) – for orchestral wind workshops.

2015

  • Manawatū Jazz Club – to hold a series of workshops “Getting into Jazz”.

  • Manawatū Youth Orchestra Inc. – for two intensive string workshops with the Aroha Quartet.

  • Nick Hunter – to compose an orchestral work to be performed by the Manawatū Sinfonia.

  • Renaissance Singers Inc. – for advanced choral training ‘workshops to concert’ project.

  • Warren and Virginia Warbrick (Toi Warbrick) – to create a bicultural music performance including themes of mythic, historic and contemporary Manawatū.

2013

Previous winners