Mark Menzies Photo: Petra Mingneau
It's the University of Canterbury's 150th anniversary this year, and UC School of Music is celebrating with a concert in collaboration with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Noteworthy - Celebrating 150 years of UC explores the past, present and future of music in Christchurch and showcases UC music students and teachers.
The concert includes music by John Ritchie, two world premieres and a work by recent UC Master of Music graduate, Rakuto Kurano.
Mark Menzies is Head of Performance at UC Music and conductor for the Noteworthy concert.
He spoke with Bryan Crump about the event, and about the guiding principle behind what he does as a teacher and musician.
"Music is always about sharing: sharing your vision of what the music could express, what you wish to express (if you're a creator/composer, as I am a lot of the time)."
"When you want to share that ...you need a community."
"Even though at times you may be alone, practising or composing, you still need to interact and be nourished by a community. Without that, you're not anybody."
"I see that as a guiding principle. Yes, I'm in the teaching business, but I feel the only way I can be believable as a teacher [is] when I also practise what I preach."
Noteworthy - Celebrating 150 years of UC
A concert by UC Music in collaboration with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 26 August 2023, 7.30pm, Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall
