9th March 2007

MEDIA RELEASE

Local Schools To Benefit From Trust Through Music

Students in Special Schools will be having close encounters of the orchestral kind, thanks to the Gendie Jury Rotary Education Award. This will enable members of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra to visit special needs schools around the Auckland region.
For the last 15 years Gendie Jury, with the support of the Rotary Club of New Lynn, has promoted learning though music to students in these schools through the educational resource kit, Take Note.

"It is my belief that music is a powerful motivator, which, because of its flexibility, allows children to reach their full potential in a non-threatening environment," said Mrs Jury.
On Wednesday 21st March at 1pm this education award of $23,000 will be handed to the NZSO Foundation at Oaklynn Special School, where Mrs Jury first starting developing the Take Note educational kit.

"We aim to enrich our student's lives," said Oaklynn school principal Laure Lamason, "And a visit by NZSO members, bringing the love of music to special needs students, certainly helps achieve this."

The Rotary Club of New Lynn and Mrs Jury decided that Take Note's legacy of music, particularly in Special Schools, should not end and have handed over the Take Note Trust money to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Foundation to fund an annual visit by orchestra members to a special school in the Auckland region.

It has been a fruitful partnership with Take Note introduced into more than 1500 schools in eight countries. However, it is now time for Mrs Jury to step back from the Take Note Trust to enjoy her new challenge in life - living on Great Barrier Island.

"This is a wonderful example of what partnerships are all about," said Nigel Cattell, New Lynn Rotary president. "The partnership between Gendie Jury and Rotary saw the Take Note programme established in Special Schools throughout New Zealand and a new partnership will now be forged with the professional excellence of the NZSO to ensure all children have the chance to enjoy and learn through music."

"One of the NZSO Foundation's aims is to help the NZSO take music to 25,000 school children each year but with the funds available, we cannot reach everyone," said Peter Rowe, Chair of the NZSO Foundation. "The Gendie Jury Rotary Education Award will help us fill a gap, particularly in Auckland, where orchestra members have only been able to visit special schools on a voluntary and informal basis. Now we can introduce the orchestra to these schools on a regular basis within the orchestra's education programme."

If you would like to help the NZSO Foundation reach more special needs students through player visits, you can send your cheque made out to Take Note to NZSO Foundation, PO Box 5036, Wellesley St, Auckland.

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