2007 Pettman/Royal Overseas League ARTS International Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble

The final weekend of November will see the Gallagher Concert Chamber abuzz with activity when young musicians travel from all over the country to compete for the Royal Overseas League’s annual scholarship for chamber groups.

Lyn Milne, the New Zealand Director of the ROSL, who has been associated with the organization for 15 years, is still aglow with the European successes of the Antipodes Quartet who carried off the 2006 Scholarship.

“We’re helping people who are helping themselves,” Milne tells me. “These musicians put in all the work and, at the end of the day, they need the organization and administration to happen for them. They need that river floating there that they can float along with occasionally.”

The rewards are certainly generous for the winning ensemble, when the verdict comes through after the final concert on Sunday 25 November. These include return flights to London, four weeks accommodation, coaching sessions with the best and performances on the festival circuit.

As Lara Hall, the Music Department’s Lecturer in Violin comments, “the lucky winning group is given the opportunity to spend four weeks in the UK, performing in well-known venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, furthering their learning and attending the world's top concerts. I really can't think of a more fabulous way to begin a career than by the ROSL's plan of thrusting winners into these wonderful performance situations over there.”

Milne is particularly thrilled with the reception that the Antipodes Quartet received for their concert at the Edinburgh Festival.

“This was a wonderful surprise,” one critic wrote, “ a concert that engaged me at 9:30 in the morning. The Antipodes Quartet gave a stellar performance, achieving that rare combination of technical brilliance and profound musical substance. I was thoroughly absorbed from the start and was amazed that only four musicians could produce such a rich and glorious sound.”

Praising both the Haydn and Beethoven that the musicians played, the writer continued.

“The musicians appreciated the incredible subtlety of the pieces, exploring each theme beautifully and with care, altogether making for a great concert that was definitely worth getting out of bed for.”

Milne has seen some extraordinary names pass through the ROSL’s caring hands, including singers Anna Leese and Jonathan Lemalu.

“They stay friends,” Milne emphasizes. “They keep in touch and I still get emails from them. They’re such modest people and here they are on the world stage. This is a very important time for them to have some confidence shown in them and they take two or three rungs up the ladder when they’re given help.”

She points out how guitarist Matthew Marshall, who will give a lunchtime recital in Hamilton on Saturday 24 November, is one of many former winners happy “to put an effort into helping ROSL in different ways.”

Looking ahead to the big event, apart from the excitement of watching ten groups compete for the sought-after Scholarship, extra concerts will include lunchtime dates by Marshall and flautist Ingrid Culliford and a Saturday evening programme of quintets by the New Zealand Chamber Soloists; Waikato University staff Katherine Austin, James Tennant and Lara Hall being joined by violinist Amalia Hall and violist Victoria Janaeke.

On Friday, clarinetist Timothy Orpen, cellist Alasdair Beatson and pianist John Myerscough, winners of the ROSL’s prestigious Gold Medal, will thrill Hamilton audiences with an evening of first-rate chamber music in the ROSL Alumni concert at 8pm.

ROSL gold medals do not come easy, as Milne points out.

“We have an annual music festival in London where we audition 200 to 300 young musicians, with $100,000 of prize money available.  This is a major competition that has been going for 50 years and one of the most prestigious.”

And our own young musicians can benefit from these Englishmen. “Although we give them money,” explains Milne, “we also send them off to festivals and bring them out to places like New Zealand and use them to mentor the local players. We feel this is very important as the competitors can have people they can relate to.”

Why Waikato, I ask Milne. There’s a rolling laugh, as if the question hardly needs to be asked. “Roderick Lakin, our International Chairman, saw the wonderful facilities and thought they were world class for what we were doing. They seem absolutely perfect.”

The ROSL Scholarship weekend will certainly be one to remember.  For Hamiltonians, it will be another opportunity to enjoy the fruits of having a first-class arts facility such as the Academy and watch with pride as two local groups compete for the ultimate success.

For the ROSL and the indefatigable Lyn Milne, it will be the highlight of another splendid year in the service and support of the young New Zealand musician.

2007 Pettmann/ROSL ARTS International Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble

Friday 23rd November 8pm – ROSL Alumni Concert
Saturday 24th November 1pm – Lunchtime Recital: Matthew Marshall (guitar)
Saturday 24th November 8pm – New Zealand Chamber Soloists and Guests: Lara Hall (violin), Amalia Hall (violin), Victoria Janecke (viola), Katherine Austin (piano) and James Tennant (cello).
Sunday 25th November 1pm – Lunchtime Recital: Ingrid Culliford (flute)
Sunday 25th November 7pm – 2007 Pettman/ROSL Arts International Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble FINAL

Performances open to the public:
Lunchtime Recitals – free entry, donations accepted.
Evening concerts Friday and Saturday: $20 adults, $5 students
Competition Final: $15 adults, $5 students

* Alternatively purchase an adult ticket to all three evening concerts for $40.
Tickets available from www.waikato.ac.nz/academy or www.ticketdirect.co.nz or phone 0800 383 5200