Free scholarship for young aspiring music event managers

Southern Institute of Technology (SIT)/MAINZ is teaming up with IGNITE, a free Auckland-based music and events programme, to offer a scholarship for an aspiring young music event manager.

The 2018 IGNITE programme gives 15-18 year olds hands-on experience in music event management and runs for 12 weeks. The participants learn about the events and music industry from industry mentors, seminars/workshops and working at shows, which assists them when putting on their own show at the end of the programme.

Once they graduate, one of those on the programme will be offered a scholarship to the Polytechnic’s Music + Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) to study for a Diploma in Music and Event Management in 2019.

MAINZ Programme Manager of Vocational Programmes Kingsley Melhuish says this is a huge opportunity for young people to enter the industry with more nous.

“Normally people learn by trial and error once they enter the industry but IGNITE and MAINZ are giving fledgling talent hands-on experience so they have the skills they need to do the job. They also get a taste of fantastic ‘event buzz’,” Melhuish says.

MAINZ offers a range of qualifications, including music performance, DJ and electronic music production, live sound, audio engineering and event management.

“We’ve had quite famous musicians coming through MAINZ like Gin Wigmore, Joel Little and the Naked and Famous - but it’s really the behind the scenes people who make it happen for those people” says Melhuish.

IGNITE was founded by Savina Kim who completed the MAINZ Music and Event Management Diploma. Now the Auckland Stadium’s event manager, she is tasked with bringing in big names, like Coldplay, to New Zealand.

Kingsley Melhuish says Kim’s decision to create IGNITE has filled a gap into the music industry.

“Up until now there hasn’t been this sort of programme for this age group to get into the industry, so it’s a nice bridge.”

In 2016, Auckland’s Hunter Keane proved himself as an outstanding student on the IGNITE course, and was awarded the Music + Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) scholarship to study the Diploma in Music and Event Management in 2017. Having now graduated from the programme, Hunter has secured himself a position with seminal New Zealand record label ‘Flying Nun’.

“In terms of his career, I think he’s going to go a long way. He’s got a great future ahead of him,” says Melhuish.

The Ignite programme kicked off on Saturday 14 April and is funded by NZ Music Commission, MAINZ and Creative Communities Auckland.

ENDS.

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