An Absolute Blast!

Jazz in Martinborough came to town over Father’s Day weekend last month and proved once again to be a huge hit with jazz and music lovers alike.

“We have celebrated our best ever festival,”says festival producer Ted Preston. “We sold out all three ticketed events, restaurants and cafes were busy, and every gig around town had happy crowds,” adds Ted.

Music Director Lee Quayle was excited about the atmosphere throughout the town.  “It was an absolute blast!” he says. “The feedback has been very positive.  We seem to have gotten the mix of popular jazz, trad jazz, Dixie jazz, gypsy jazz and entertainment just about right!”

Feature artists included festival patron and jazz legend Rodger Fox and his Funkbone Experience, featuring the super Erna Ferry on vocals, flautist and saxophonist Miho Wada and her jazz orchestra from Auckland, and the sultry, smooth Mary Watson and her band Noir.

Proceeds from the festival will go towards sponsoring up to five female college-age students to attend the New Zealand Jazz Workshops in January 2019.  These workshops bring together enthusiastic jazz students with top international guest artists and NZ’s leading jazz musicians and educators. Potential attendees have been identified with the assistance of Rodger Fox during Fresh Jam – College Jazz workshops and concert -held before the festival proper.

The festival had a huge range of help and support from throughout the community.  “We must say a huge thanks to all our supporters.  So many people gave support, as grants, in time, in effort or with goods,” adds Ted.  “As a group we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everybody who helped create a wonderful event for Martinborough; and special thanks to our major sponsors TrustHouse, Rotary and Lions.”

“We will be back next year,” says Ted.  “This time in the Town Hall at the Waihinga Centre!”

Archie Clark wins a Sir Peter Blake Award.

The Sir Peter Blake Young Leadeship Award is a prestigeous award made by the Sir Peter Blake Trust which is awarded each year to celebrate a young  Primary or Intermediate shool pupil whose leadership stands out in his or her school. 

Lady Pippa Blake explains “I’ve always been asked ‘What does the Trust do?’ And I was always saying “Well, we have youth leadership awards, and we have a youth environmental forum.”Sir Peter Blake showed  young people that there are leaders and there are dreamers. Leaders make things happen. Dreamers have a vision. The truly special people do both.The first step to making these dreams happen is to believe in yourself and believe that you can do it. The Award is a challenge to believe you can.   

A school can nominate a pupil that the teachers identify as being an amazing young leader among the students. The  Sir Peter Blake Trust in turn give guidelines as to what they consider would be such a young leader’s attributes. 

These include: Having their own style of leadership – this could be a quiet or outgoing approach. Work well with their peers, being a team player. Communicate and relate well to both teachers and other pupils. Are not afraid of a hard task, good at getting stuck in.  Happy to take on extra duties and carry them out well. Be thoughtful and kind. And be able to join in and have fun. 

A chosen student’s details are sent to the the Trust and if an award is verified the local Westpak Manager will be notified – Westpak sponsor the Award. The Manager presented the Award to Archie at a special  School Assembly during Leadership Week  Along with the Award Archie also received a book about Sir Peter Blake and a pair of red socks.

Amici Ensemble in Greytown: 

Sunday 14 October

Greytown Music Group’s next concert sees the welcome return of the Amici Ensemble. The Ensemble has performed in Greytown almost every year since 1999. Their concerts are always popular and consist of many top NZSO players in various combinations. 

This concert will feature seven musicians: a string quartet of Donald Armstrong, Malavika Gopal, Lyndsay Mountfort and Ken Ichinose, Patrick Barry on clarinet, Bridget Douglas on flute and harpist Carolyn Mills.

Amici Ensemble leader Donald Armstrong says “I am delighted to be part of the new piece ‘Coastlines’ by up-and-coming composer Salina Fisher. She creates a stunning sound world, inspired both by her Japanese heritage and New Zealand landscapes. It was commissioned by the Waikanae Chamber Music Society for their 40th Anniversary concert this year”.  … Continue Reading

Community Board notes

Spring has arrived and it is certainly nice to see some sun especially for the farmers that are in the throes of lambing and calving.

From a Community Board point of view it is great to finally see work getting done on the Cenotaph no only making it safe but also giving it a much needed makeover.

Some of you may have also noticed the new fence going in around the old cemetery on Dublin Street this is a great addition to the cemetery which has a lot of local history tied to it, the new fence and gates will make it much easier for public to access this, some people are not aware this is a public cemetery and you are able to go and have a walk around in there anytime. 

As many of you are aware the possible closure of Tuturumuri School, is something that has hit nationwide media, however after much community support the decision has been made to keep the school open for 2019, a shame the same can’t be said for our local ANZ branch, there was clear South Wairarapa support to keep the bank open, sadly those of higher power have not listened. … Continue Reading