NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2026
Kia ora tatou,
This is a longer newsletter than usual for two reasons: it marks a stellar year for
Music Futures; it is also something of a watershed year because I will step down as
Chair in 2027 after 10 years in the role. More about that shortly.
Our programme this year has been particularly full and rewarding. It ranged from the
awards round which included one-off scholarships, some smaller awards, our
coaching programme in Wellington and Kapiti, support of National Youth Orchestra,
to our mid-year Youth Concert.
We gave 19 awards worth a total of $7000. Thanks to a special grant from the
Lankhuyzen Whetu-Kairangi Masonic Trust, we also awarded scholarships worth a
total of $6,000 for excellence and outstanding commitment to four young musicians.
We had 16 groups participate in the Wellington coaching weekend in May and
another 7 groups in Kapiti.
We supported three National Youth Orchestra musicians this year and were
impressed with their talent and enthusiasm for performing in the ocean-themed
concert featuring Debussy’s La Mer under the baton of Dane Lam. We have also
provided a small amount of prize money for the 14 and under category of the Judith
Clark Sonata Celebration run by the Wellington Branch of the Institute of Registered
Music Teachers with the support of the NZ School of Music/Te Koki in September.
Our mid-year youth concert in July involved 8 chamber music ensembles plus a
newly formed chamber choir from Wellington High School. It is our practice to select
one school choir and 4 to 5 ensembles which participate in the coaching weekend.
The standard was so high this year that we decided to invite 8 groups to perform. Of
these, 6 groups were selected for the Regional Round of the Chamber Music Contest
20 August 2026 – a significant achievement. Two groups in our coaching programme were national finalists, and one group won an award. This is a great credit to the performers but
also to their teachers. The concert held on 25 July at St Andrew’s on The Terrace
was, not surprisingly, an inspiring event that showcased the amazing talent of young
musicians in our region.
The final event of interest for Music Futures is a series of workshops and live
performances of The Tortoise and The Hare at 4 primary schools in Porirua/Cannon’s
Creek that will take place from 8 to 11 September. Led by the NZSO Education Team
and Animateur Chris Lam Sam, this project will give the school students a unique
opportunity to experience direct access to professional orchestral musicians and
build appreciation and confidence through participation in the music. Music Futures
helped create this opportunity through a joint funding application with the NZSO
education team to the Lankhuyzen Whetu-Kairangi Masonic Trust.
Music Futures is in very good heart. We are supporting as many young musicians as
we can with our own programmes but also through other organisations where our
and their objectives are congruent. As mentioned in our February newsletter the
available grant funding has reduced. Nevertheless, our funding levels, while lower
than they typically are at this time of year, are holding up well enough to run one or
more of our programmes next year.
Your continued support is very important to us through your membership
subscription, donations and attendance at our events. We have been thrilled with
the amount of support received this year. Thank you to all donors and those who
have continued their membership. It makes a huge difference.
In case you have been meaning to renew your annual subscription @ $25 per person
per year you can still do so – or make a donation (the latter is tax deductible). Please
pay direct to our bank account and send us an email with your details for a receipt:
[email protected]
Account name: Music Futures Inc
Account number: 38 9012 0747102 00
So to my decision to stepdown as Chair of the committee at our next AGM. It is time
for me to turn my attention elsewhere, not least to my family who live overseas and
our very adorable grandson there.
I joined the committee in August 2016 and took over from Valerie Rhodes as Chair in
May 2017. I have put my back into Music Futures for the purpose of nurturing the
next generation of professional and recreational musicians and to reach as many
school students in our region as possible to make music a part of their education.
We know that learning an instrument and performing creates new pathways in the
brain, helps the student to be successful in learning generally, and teaches them
teamwork and other valuable social skills. The energy and enthusiasm of young
musicians add something very special to our community.
The following is a summary of what we have achieved in those 10 + years (activities
began in 2013).
Since 2013 – granted 226 group and individual awards (each up to $500)
Since 2015 – provided professional coaching sessions for 721 students in 188
ensembles
Since 2016 – curated 11 mid-year youth concerts at St Andrew’s on The
Terrace
Since 2016 – organised 7 additional fundraising events/house concerts
Since 2017 – organised 4 concerts/programmes in schools (unfortunately this
ceased during the COVID years)
Since 2020 – sponsored 12 NYO students @$600/student
Provided mentoring for some individual students
Lent or rented out one or more of our collection of wood and brass
instruments annually to students/schools
From 2024 - collaborated with NZSO Education programme:
o supported two schools to attend the 2024 Schools concert
o jointly sought funding for the Tortoise and the Hare in schools
workshops and performances
We have an annual budget of $10,000 to $12,000 with very few overheads, as our
work is entirely voluntary. I have been fortunate to recruit a completely new
committee from the one I inherited but all committee members have been and are
fully supportive. It has been my privilege to work with so many talented people. The
change has largely been a generational one. Now it is time to pass the baton so that
the next generation can step up.
We work across the music sector with schools, independent teachers, Te Koki/NZ
School of Music, Chamber Music New Zealand, NZSO and Orchestra Wellington. We
have become part of the music education eco system in Wellington and have
developed an ability to connect the different parts of the sector in support of our
young musicians. We would like to keep doing that for the next 10 years and
beyond. To do so we will need a new Chair who can take over from me in mid-2027.
This letter is an appeal to all who are passionate about youth music to get your
thinking caps on to find the right person.
Please contact me on [email protected] if you have ideas or questions. I
will of course plan to do a comprehensive handover to whoever the committee
decides should be my successor.
Ngā mihi nui
Lynne
This is a longer newsletter than usual for two reasons: it marks a stellar year for
Music Futures; it is also something of a watershed year because I will step down as
Chair in 2027 after 10 years in the role. More about that shortly.
Our programme this year has been particularly full and rewarding. It ranged from the
awards round which included one-off scholarships, some smaller awards, our
coaching programme in Wellington and Kapiti, support of National Youth Orchestra,
to our mid-year Youth Concert.
We gave 19 awards worth a total of $7000. Thanks to a special grant from the
Lankhuyzen Whetu-Kairangi Masonic Trust, we also awarded scholarships worth a
total of $6,000 for excellence and outstanding commitment to four young musicians.
We had 16 groups participate in the Wellington coaching weekend in May and
another 7 groups in Kapiti.
We supported three National Youth Orchestra musicians this year and were
impressed with their talent and enthusiasm for performing in the ocean-themed
concert featuring Debussy’s La Mer under the baton of Dane Lam. We have also
provided a small amount of prize money for the 14 and under category of the Judith
Clark Sonata Celebration run by the Wellington Branch of the Institute of Registered
Music Teachers with the support of the NZ School of Music/Te Koki in September.
Our mid-year youth concert in July involved 8 chamber music ensembles plus a
newly formed chamber choir from Wellington High School. It is our practice to select
one school choir and 4 to 5 ensembles which participate in the coaching weekend.
The standard was so high this year that we decided to invite 8 groups to perform. Of
these, 6 groups were selected for the Regional Round of the Chamber Music Contest
20 August 2026 – a significant achievement. Two groups in our coaching programme were national finalists, and one group won an award. This is a great credit to the performers but
also to their teachers. The concert held on 25 July at St Andrew’s on The Terrace
was, not surprisingly, an inspiring event that showcased the amazing talent of young
musicians in our region.
The final event of interest for Music Futures is a series of workshops and live
performances of The Tortoise and The Hare at 4 primary schools in Porirua/Cannon’s
Creek that will take place from 8 to 11 September. Led by the NZSO Education Team
and Animateur Chris Lam Sam, this project will give the school students a unique
opportunity to experience direct access to professional orchestral musicians and
build appreciation and confidence through participation in the music. Music Futures
helped create this opportunity through a joint funding application with the NZSO
education team to the Lankhuyzen Whetu-Kairangi Masonic Trust.
Music Futures is in very good heart. We are supporting as many young musicians as
we can with our own programmes but also through other organisations where our
and their objectives are congruent. As mentioned in our February newsletter the
available grant funding has reduced. Nevertheless, our funding levels, while lower
than they typically are at this time of year, are holding up well enough to run one or
more of our programmes next year.
Your continued support is very important to us through your membership
subscription, donations and attendance at our events. We have been thrilled with
the amount of support received this year. Thank you to all donors and those who
have continued their membership. It makes a huge difference.
In case you have been meaning to renew your annual subscription @ $25 per person
per year you can still do so – or make a donation (the latter is tax deductible). Please
pay direct to our bank account and send us an email with your details for a receipt:
[email protected]
Account name: Music Futures Inc
Account number: 38 9012 0747102 00
So to my decision to stepdown as Chair of the committee at our next AGM. It is time
for me to turn my attention elsewhere, not least to my family who live overseas and
our very adorable grandson there.
I joined the committee in August 2016 and took over from Valerie Rhodes as Chair in
May 2017. I have put my back into Music Futures for the purpose of nurturing the
next generation of professional and recreational musicians and to reach as many
school students in our region as possible to make music a part of their education.
We know that learning an instrument and performing creates new pathways in the
brain, helps the student to be successful in learning generally, and teaches them
teamwork and other valuable social skills. The energy and enthusiasm of young
musicians add something very special to our community.
The following is a summary of what we have achieved in those 10 + years (activities
began in 2013).
Since 2013 – granted 226 group and individual awards (each up to $500)
Since 2015 – provided professional coaching sessions for 721 students in 188
ensembles
Since 2016 – curated 11 mid-year youth concerts at St Andrew’s on The
Terrace
Since 2016 – organised 7 additional fundraising events/house concerts
Since 2017 – organised 4 concerts/programmes in schools (unfortunately this
ceased during the COVID years)
Since 2020 – sponsored 12 NYO students @$600/student
Provided mentoring for some individual students
Lent or rented out one or more of our collection of wood and brass
instruments annually to students/schools
From 2024 - collaborated with NZSO Education programme:
o supported two schools to attend the 2024 Schools concert
o jointly sought funding for the Tortoise and the Hare in schools
workshops and performances
We have an annual budget of $10,000 to $12,000 with very few overheads, as our
work is entirely voluntary. I have been fortunate to recruit a completely new
committee from the one I inherited but all committee members have been and are
fully supportive. It has been my privilege to work with so many talented people. The
change has largely been a generational one. Now it is time to pass the baton so that
the next generation can step up.
We work across the music sector with schools, independent teachers, Te Koki/NZ
School of Music, Chamber Music New Zealand, NZSO and Orchestra Wellington. We
have become part of the music education eco system in Wellington and have
developed an ability to connect the different parts of the sector in support of our
young musicians. We would like to keep doing that for the next 10 years and
beyond. To do so we will need a new Chair who can take over from me in mid-2027.
This letter is an appeal to all who are passionate about youth music to get your
thinking caps on to find the right person.
Please contact me on [email protected] if you have ideas or questions. I
will of course plan to do a comprehensive handover to whoever the committee
decides should be my successor.
Ngā mihi nui
Lynne
