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About Ian Cresswell, Cherry van Kranen and the Martinborough Music Festival

September 13, 2017 September 2017 No Comments

Larger than life, energetic, persistent, exasperating, kind, caring, incorrigible, urbane, affable and more. This was Ian Cresswell.
Kind and caring; in the weeks before he died, Ian was at Masterton District Court to support young offenders. He organised a fourth benefit concert for Aziel Verner whom he felt sure had a promising future as a concert violinist. There are many other examples of Ian’s support, and creation of opportunities for youth to succeed.
Ian could get himself into trouble too. He loved parties. Ian’s 80th birthday was a HUGE affair. Anyone Ian could invite he did invite. When Dinee turned 80, a surprise party seemed the perfect gift. Ian invited lots of guests. When Dinee got wind of it she told Ian she did not want a big party. Ian had to “uninvite” the people he had asked much to the amusement of people in the know – that was Crez.
A passionate advocate for the restoration of the Martinborough Town Hall, Ian had ideas for how he could increase its usage once the renovations were completed. Some years ago when heading up the Martinborough Town Hall Committee, he shared with the writer an idea based on music festivals; Ian did not think small. For a start, he had three in mind – jazz, classical music and rock.
The first, Jazz In Martinborough, is now well established on the annual Martinborough events calendar. The second, a classical music festival, Martinborough Music Festival will be launched at the end of September. The third, a rock festival, needs to have a champion. Ian had thought that once all three were established there could be a combined month- long festival of different musical activities – something for everyone. Then there could be drama and poetry festivals, film festivals…

It was the generous gifting to the Martinborough community of a Schimmel Grand Piano by the late Cherry van Kranen that was the catalyst for Ian to initiate a classical music festival. Five classical music enthusiasts led by Euan Huggett formed the organising team to realise Ian’s vision.
The Martinborough Music Festival has an impressive programme. Michael Houstoun will play three concerts; the first will be a solo recital with works especially selected to showcase the Schimmel. Mr Houstoun will later join the Zephyr Wind Quintet and the Martinborough Festival Quartet for the other two concerts. The final concert features Schubert’s Triosatz and his lovely Octet in F.
Michael Houstoun says he is looking forward to participating in the inaugural Martinborough Music Festival “Festivals are great ideas, especially in small communities. It is possible to get a lot of people involved and marvellous community atmospheres can be generated”. These are sentiments that Ian Cresswell and Cherry van Kranen would have embraced.
The inaugural Martinborough Music Festival is dedicated to Ian Cresswell & Cherry van Kranen.
Winifred Bull
Martinborough Music Festival; Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October.www.martinboroughmusicfestival.co.nz for programme details and ticketing.
Photo caption A beaming Ian with Vicki Jones at the Schimmel. Photo courtesy Winifred Bull
Highlight: Kind and caring; in the weeks before he died, Ian was at Masterton District Court to support young offenders

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