Tēnā koutou katoa, Mā te hurhuru, ka rere te manu (adorn the bird with feathers so that it can fly).  With the changing and challenging times that are upon us, here at NZSM we have like all New Zealanders adapted to our 'new normal' by adorning our Te Kōkī whanau with digital feathers to help them fly in this new environment. In this edition of Dawn Chorus, we see how NZSM students and staff are adapting to this 'new normal' and we have a new and exciting event coming up on the 17th of April. 

NZSM NEWS

Words from Sally Jane

Tēnā koutou katoa, warm greetings to all our Dawn Chorus friends. Te Kōkī – New Zealand School of Music “lockdown” activities are those of wonderfully committed makers and lovers of music: students, staff, alumni and supporters are flocking to new horizons to ensure teaching, research, and musicking in all its forms. Our School’s Strategic Plan evokes creative exploration of our musical past, innovative and experimental approaches to generate sonic cultures for tomorrow, and the celebration of musical values anchored in Aotearoa and Pacific identities. This dynamic is powerfully at work in our community, as is our sense of responsibility for upholding the inclusive, cohesive energies of music in our radically transformed world.  Please enjoy our Te Kōkī Easter egg! 

DIGITAL TEACHING

Photo and words: Margaret Medlyn 

While we and our colleagues in Classical Performance are learning new skills to meet the challenge of online learning for practising musicians, Voice lecturer Wade Kernot came up with the idea of having live Zoom chats - a virtual classroom - with industry professionals either hunkering down at home in NZ, or based in other countries. Between Wade, Jenny Wollerman and Margaret Medlyn we have plenty of contacts, many of them alumni, who are isolated in their residences, many of them small flats in Europe, who are happy to share tips and advice, to pass the time for them, and also for our students. Most students have been participating, knowing that the advice can be invaluable for them. 

First up last week was our own favourite Wagner Helden tenor - Simon O'Neill - who just made it home to his family in Auckland before lockdown. Simon did the hard graft to get where he is today and so he has plenty of tips to pass on, as well as ideas of what you do when you are working overseas: e.g. how does a singer practice/ or not in a hotel room? Next up was Katherine Wiles explaining what it's like to be a professional chorus member of Opera Australia. This week Pene Pati and Amina Edris, stranded in France, share their advice, and later in the week Stuart Maunder. Stuart, as the CEO of NZ Opera, used to do the audition assessment for the third years. Now he is running South Australian State Opera, and is a director and has run several Young Artist Programmes. 
Plenty of material and advice to keep us all interested and engaged. 

Photos and words: Thomas Voyce 

As a teacher of film sound, I can’t overstate the value of taking the time to watch films in their entirety as a way to understand ‘the bigger picture’ of film sound. Unfortunately, there is never enough time in lectures to deliver content, watch films from start to finish, and then discuss as a class. Watching films between lectures to discuss in class is useful, but this doesn’t compare to the kind of interaction that happens when a group watch a film together: this is where the most animated and insightful contributions are made. 

A couple of years ago, I ran a Sunday night movie screening series in the Adam Concert Room (as an educational institution, we are able to screen films for enrolled students). It was relatively successful; staff and students would view the film in surround sound, and then discuss the success of the film, focusing on the music and sound design aspects. However, because the ACR is always in demand, we couldn’t move the screenings to a more reasonable day or hour. The numbers attending were always small. Although there was plenty of interest in screenings, the timeslot and venue were impediments to securing good numbers and thus the screenings ended. 

Covid 19 has been a major disruption to life at the university for staff and students. Isolation is a major obstruction to collaborative learning, and filmmaking in all its components is one of the more collaborative artforms. However, technology allows us to explore new ways to teach and engage, and it is through the online platform Zoom that I have been able to reinstate my movie nights, this time with some truly unique aspects. 

Firstly, students are able to listen to films with headphones. Binaural listening is in no way a substitute for the 5.1 format of cinema, but it does allow us to hear enormous detail in the sound, albeit in a 2-channel format. Secondly, we can watch with multiple classes simultaneously. Our 300 and 400-level audio technology students can experience films together, something that doesn’t happen in a normal lecture setting. 

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, students are able to ‘chat’ (that is, ‘type’), while watching films. This is something of a revelation to me. Talking during a film is an absolute no no in most settings, but typing is a different story. This feature allows us to dissect films moment-to-moment without having to pause proceedings or alternate our listening attention between the screen and each other. So far, we have watched and discussed some really interesting films, including the documentaries Rivers and Tides (2001) Notes on Blindness (2016), Tarkovsky’s sci-fi(?) masterpiece Stalker (1979) and award-winning war picture The Hurt Locker (2009). ‘Chatting’ while listening is also great for listening to albums. We have listened to Jan Jelinek’s Kosmischer Pitch (2005) and Floating Point’s Elaenia (2015) together in the same group. I’m still summoning the courage to introduce Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica (1969) to the team.   

Film screening and album listening sessions happen a few times a week. Every other day students are linking through to Zoom sessions to check out what’s up for analysis. Funnily enough, the Sunday 8.30pm slot that used to struggle to get people to the ACR is now a attracting the most people.   

PHOTOS FROM NZSM ISOLATION

The Work must go on! Zoom meetings or Zui (the term for Zoom and hui) are the new norm for NZSM staff.

Inbal Megiddo and Paul Altomari (with Adam and Nathan) putting on concerts for neighbors during level 4. I feel like I need to move house? 

A Student Profile of first-year trumpet student Toby Buckner. 

1. Why did you come to the NZSM? 
I came to NZSM because I had heard great things about the lecturers, the people and the school in general. I wanted to go to a school where I would get the right teaching and where I would get great opportunities playing in some fantastic ensembles in some incredible venues such as the Adam Concert Room. 

2. What do you love about your instrument? 
I love playing the trumpet because of the versatility of it. I find that the trumpet can be played in any genre of music and nearly any period of classical music. I started trumpet because I watched my granddad and dad play cornet in a brass band and I wanted to be like them. I guess the trumpet found me, as cheesy as it sounds. 

3. Who is your favourite performer/composer? 
My favourite composer would have to be Mahler because his symphonies really tell a story and I absolutely love his use of brass. My favourite performer would have to be Elmer Churampi. He is really making a name for himself at such a young age and it's really inspiring seeing someone so young playing at the high calibre he is at. 

4. What instrument do you wish you could play (that you don’t already)? 
I wish I could play the trombone because it just looks so fun and exciting. 

WHAT TO DO IN ISOLATION? 

WATCH: SOUNZ DIGITAL CONCERTS 

SOUNZ is sharing a series of expertly-curated digital concerts, featuring cornerstone repertoire alongside lesser-known musical treasures. You can view the virtual concert hall here 

READ: FROM LOCKDOWN IN GERMANY: IMOGEN THIRLWALL 

It’s coming up three years since Imogen Thirlwall left Wellington to pursue singing in Europe – but you may remember seeing her on stage in many of our New Zealand Opera productions; she was a member of the Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus and a Dame Malvina Major Young Artist. Imogen has sent us a wonderful update from her shut down in Germany. This is the first in a series of catch-ups provided by the New Zealand Opera website, with singers from New Zealand and others who have a connection with New Zealand Opera community. Read more about Imogen’s time in Isolation here 

NZSO Performer and NZSM staff member Shannon Pittway on recording for 'Play our Part' 

During the first week of the lockdown, I got a call from NZSO's Principal Trombonist and NZSM alumnus David Bremner to ask my availability to record a trombone trio to contribute to the NZSO's "Play our part" programme that was scheduled to be released the following week. He, of course, knew that I would be available (see alert level 4) so we started discussing how to go about recording a fairly tricky trio from three different locations using different recording devices (mostly iPhones). I was inspired by my students at NZSM to suggest that we use the app that all the "cool kids" use for this type of collaboration, Acapella. This app was new to us, but it proved to be straightforward and user-friendly. One of us would lay down a track first, send it to the next person and so on. We found that the first two people had to be super accurate in order for the third to have any chance at all! Remarkably we only had to re-record one of the moments. At some point fairly early on in the exchanging of recordings, someone decided to change shirts. As things escalated, I managed to dig out of my closet an old 70's suit that I had coincidentally last worn at David's 40th birthday party many years ago... I think isolation and cabin fever had started taking their toll! 

While missing some of the key ingredients to true chamber music (playing closely together and interacting in real time), I can now see on reflection that some of the more important ones remained. Reaching out and responding musically to others, having fun with it (costume changes) and sharing those things in an intimate space (our homes). As we went through the process of making our video it became more about having a good time with our mates and I guess we kind of forgot that it would be shown to the world. This illusion was quickly shattered last night as I watched our video being played on the evening news! Once I had finished choking on my dinner and while recovering from the realisation that all of New Zealand had just had a peek into my bedroom, I was filled with a sense of satisfaction that somehow our small contribution had resonated with people and maybe given them a moment of connection, humour and distraction at a time that we need it the most. 

Watch and listen to this performance here 

NZSM LUNCHTIME VIRTUAL CONCERT

17 April 

NZSM students are putting together a special concert for our NZSM viewers for the 17th of April. If you would like to be part of this virtual concert please email dayna.eggeling@vuw.ac.nz to find out more about how you can zoom in.  

AWARDS

Congratulations to NZSM alumnus Dominic Lee for winning 2nd place in the Anton Rubinstein International Cello Competition, which like so many key events had to be adapted for online performance and assessment! Learn more here

In this student profile, we hear from composition student Imogen Moore. 
 

1. Why did you come to the NZSM? 
I began to consider studying at NZSM after attending the Open Day event in year 12. My decision was made after a school music trip to Wellington in year 13, during which we had a tour of the NZSM, a Q&A with staff members, and sat in on a composer’s workshop. 
 
2. What do you love about composing? 
I love having the opportunity to work with other musicians throughout the composing process, which is obviously quite solitary a lot of the time. Hearing my music played by others is always my favourite part of composing. It’s so exciting not only to hear your music played live, but to hear other people’s interpretations of what you’ve written on paper. 
 
3. Who is your favourite composer? 
I can’t pick a single favourite composer because it changes constantly, but at the moment I’m listening to a lot of Joe Hisaishi and John Luther Adams! 
 
4. What instrument do you wish you could play (that you don’t already)? 
I have always really wanted to play the harp! Unfortunately, I never had access to one growing up in Hawkes Bay, but I often write for harp, and I’d still jump at the chance to learn to play now. 

What are useful Māori words related to our current Quarantine situation? 

Read on to learn more 

YOUNG MUSICIANS CONCERTS

From our Victoria Voices musical director Maaike Christie-Beekman: 
 
The global pandemic has brought huge upheaval to the music communities in Aotearoa. Apart from losing income, we have also lost opportunities to perform in public, give concerts, rehearse with others, jam together, and share the joy of music-making. This has a huge effect on our feelings of togetherness, of well-being, of creativity and self-expression. 
That is why we have set up this Facebook page. This is a page for all music lovers. Whether you are a professional opera singer or you play on the spoons, or a hard-working music student, a film composer, an avid listener, music therapist, critic, writer, the kid who loves to get together with their siblings and perform concerts in your living room, we want to see you! 
How can you help? Please like our page, share it with your network and share, share and share. Share your live-streams, your playlists, your poetry, taonga puoro, your musicals, your latest favorite piece, your music cartoon, meme, spoon concert - it’s all welcome. 
Music is for everyone. Spread the love and show the richness of our music life in Aotearoa as we get through this time together. 
https://www.facebook.com/Home-Sweet-Home-New-Zealand-Musicians-in-Lockdown-114310913557871/ 
Thank you so much! 

Do you have an event you would like to notify us about?

If you do please click on the link here and fill out the NZSM Promotion form. 

Jack body Memorial Fund

Support the future of New Zealand music through the composer residency here.

SUPPORT THE MUSICIANS, COMPOSERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE FUTURE

For some of New Zealand's most talented musicians, the only thing that stands in the way of their dreams is the lack of funds to make them real. For further information on how you can provide support for students at the New Zealand School of Music, please contact either: