Inspiring generations of singers
For Reverend Alison Stewart, music is more than a career – it is her life.
She’s mentored thousands of fledging musicians and performed around the world, but the most satisfying part for her is seeing people smile.
That’s the power of music, she says. Stewart, a music teacher at Huntley School in Marton, has been involved with choral music in New Zealand for more than 45 years.
She is the chairwoman of the Wellington branch of the Royal School of Church Music New Zealand and has led its choir school for several years.
She regularly travels with choirs and organises national talent for highprofile performances.
Her international treks include taking the Ambassador Choir from Palmerston North to the United States, where it performed in venues across Montana and Salt Lake City.
As well as serving local church choirs as an accompanist, she has been musical director of the Palmerston North Choral Society since 2003.
She founded the women’s chamber choir, Camerata, in 1997 and is still the musical director.
She has been the director of music at Huntley School for 26 years and has been a trustee of the Anglican Schools Trust Board since 2008.
Though to Stewart, it has never been work.
‘‘I really like getting people to sing and do it together.
‘‘A lot of them don’t know they can sing.
‘‘It’s just like sports – you’re all working together as a team.’’
Mentoring children at Huntley School was also satisfying.
‘‘The three main teams are cricket, rugby and the choir. The choir is the team that trains every day – right up until the last day of school for the last performance.
‘‘I like the kids – the age – and more and more people are wanting to do cultural stuff. You do it because you really like it.’’
Coronavirus had made directing her choirs difficult.
They would practise using Zoom – she would play the piano while the choir members would mute their audio and sing along.
Stewart was also a Girl Guide unit leader with All Saints Guides in Palmerston North from 1998 to 2013.
She received the Arataki leadership award in 2009.