The Creation of Music Futures: object lesson in enterprise

Music Futures – the birth of a good idea
A new voluntary body to help young musicians find their way

Sunday 2 August 2015

This post refers to our review of the concert of 26 July promoted by Music Futures, featuring young Wellington musicians, some of whom were involved with the current Chamber Music contest staged annually by Chamber Music New Zealand, and supported by the New Zealand Community Trust.

(The National Finale was held on Sunday 2 August, and was won by the Wellington piano trio which had played in the concert of 26 July, the Glivenko Trio).

After publishing our review of the 26 July concert, the organizer, Valerie Rhodes, emailed us with some interesting background to the project.

She described how the idea was born after an NZSO musician had contacted her to ask if she would consider starting an organisation to support young musicians.

“The initial meeting to form Music Futures was in December 2011,” Valerie explained. “In 2012 – we became an incorporated society and a registered charity as well as holding a launch concert in August 2012. Our first awards were given in April 2013.”

A couple of months before they launched, she had called, with Brigid O’Meeghan (cello NZSO), on Denis Adam, of the Adam Foundation, to ask whether he would offer a donation to cover the hire of St Andrew’s and the printing of a programme for that initial concert.

“At first he said ‘no’,” Valerie said. “When I was a boy”, Denis Adam observed, “we went out and got a job if we wanted something”. “Today’s youngsters want everything handed to them on a plate ……”. Valerie thanked him for listening to their pitch and they got up to go.

Then Denis said, “So how much were you going to ask me for, Valerie?”
“$500”.
He laughed, “I thought you’d be asking for a few thousand. Have you got a budget?”
“Yes, here it is.”

Valerie was chagrined to discover that the copy she’d brought had print on the other side. Denis turned it over. “So, you even use second-hand paper. In that case, I’ll give you $600 as long as you report back to me how you spent it.”

“So I did.”

She is thrilled that the group’s prescience has resulted in the Glivenko Trio winning the national contest for Wellington – the first Wellington win for many years.

Offers of financial assistance for Music Futures are most welcome. Contact Valerie Rhodes, Ph (04) 473 2224).