It was great to hear the story of the Virtuoso Strings from Liz Sneyd on Wednesday. We have all listened to the excellent music produced by the Virtuoso Strings, but to hear Liz’s account of the obstacles they faced, the obstructions they overcame, and what they have accomplished, is nothing short of inspiring.

 

What I didn’t mention was that the Board approved in August a $1000 donation to support their efforts. Funds, that I am sure, will be put to great use.

 

As we enter the last quarter of the year, we have an exciting slate of events and community programmes on our agenda.

 

On Saturday we have our Monte Carlo Fund Raiser, in October we have Predator Free training and our support for the End Polio Campaign on the 24^th of October. Of course, we will also be providing additional support for our Buskers at the Underground Market during WOW.

 

As well as those activities and to break up our schedule a little, we will be returning to the popular Leuven on October 16^th for an informal breakfast.

 

We were recently approached by the Parkinson’s Wellington Appeal to collect for them at Chaffers  New World on Saturday November 2^nd. More about that shortly. We are also scheduled to complete a clean-up at Zealandia in November, have several Perambulations, have our Christmas Party on November 28^th at Bella Italia etc and no doubt we will be running the car parking at the weekend market sometime in December.

 

Our last meeting of the year will be on the 18^th of December at the Wellington Club and we will regroup after the Christmas break for an informal coffee probably at Arabica on January 15^th. So, as always, we have a busy schedule ahead of us.

 

Have a good week

 

 

 

Liz came to our meeting having had only 3 hours sleep – her night having been spent completing an application for funding to support their Group as they have recently lost important funding from the Porirua Council. So despite her lack of sleep, she began by giving us a brief summary of where the journey began, how they started, and why they will endure despite the setbacks and hurdles. As she said, when something is so important to you – there is no option – you have to continue and make it work.

 

Seven years ago her family supported a young music student and friend who appeared to have been subjected to family violence.  Around that time she came to the realization that there was such untapped talent in the community that maybe music was a vehicle for change.  Liz and her husband somewhat naively bought 200 violins from China and contacted a couple of Principals in local schools who provided space for the music classes to begin. But they also provided another secret weapon to attract these students into their classes – chocolate muffins and at its peak they where producing over 200 muffins a week!

 

There were many roadblocks and there were doubters in the music and school communities. But the children didn’t see this negativity – rather they only saw opportunity  and through their work Liz and husband Craig see students achieve way beyond where anyone has ever expected them to achieve. So why do the kids sign up? Some always wanted to play violin; some didn’t know what a violin was and wanted to know; some were nominated by their school principals, some were students who did not fit well into the mainstream class, or who were very shy or disengaged – or they just put their hand up. As a result the Virtuoso Strings is made up of students from a very wide range of backgrounds some of whom would succeed anyway some maybe not.

 

Something that Liz feels very strongly is that often there’s a perception that once vulnerable always vulnerable. How she experiences this is the way a lot of funding works and people talk, they put young people in a category of high risk and very vulnerable – but with the right support, that student may no longer be vulnerable or at risk. When applying for funds what is often asked is, are you trying to engage the community or are you producing high quality of musical value. Liz asks why do I have to choose?

 

Recently, an octet formed from the Virtuoso Strings, after five elimination rounds, won the peoples choice award at the Chamber Music New Zealand finals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s11dy7tEnxs

 

I’m sure we are all thankful that Liz and Craig persisted against the odds. Their work and the young talent they foster is truly inspirational.

 

Brenda Lazelle