New name for historic music hub
One of Nelson’s oldest musical institutions has changed its name, ushering in a new era in its revamped building.
The Nelson School of Music will now be known as the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts.
It’s a change that comes near the end of an 18-month redevelopment of its 122-year-old building on Nile St.
Newly appointed director James Donaldson, who had his first day at work on Monday, said the new name was broad and encompassed more than the old one.
‘‘There’s more to the School of Music than just the school. Nelson people know that, but for people from outside [the old name is] a little bit ambiguous.’’
Donaldson said the trust board had been the driving force behind the brand redevelopment, after a year long consultation with the community. He said the new name reflected that it was not a school in the traditional sense, and was also a performance and concert venue. There had also been a perception within the community that it was an elite organisation, only catering to those in classical music who could afford it.
‘‘Whether those perceptions were valid or not doesn’t matter, it’s what the perception is out there.
‘‘The new brand I think clearly sends the message that it’s the musical centre for the Nelson and Tasman region.’’
Donaldson said he expected people to continue to call the building the Nelson School of Music, as it was embedded in their memory.
‘‘The building itself is always going to be the Nelson School of Music.
‘‘But the organisation, we’d like it to be known as the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts.’’
Donaldson was appointed as the new director of the centre when he was head of the music department at Auckland Grammar. He has performed in the Nelson School of Music auditorium once before as a student attending an early Adam Chamber Music Summer School.
Donaldson grew up in Christchurch and prior to his Auckland Grammar role, he directed musical productions, bands, orchestras and choirs in a wide range of styles and genres. He said the two biggest goals for the new organisation were to become more diverse in its musical endeavours and more inclusive to people in and outside the community.
‘‘Nelson is a diverse place, music itself is incomprehensibly diverse in some ways.
‘‘There’s something there for everybody, even for those people who think they’re not that musical.’’
Donaldson said one of the first things he was looking at was developing concert series, both during lunch time as well as in the evening, which he hoped would start in April.
‘‘There’s so many great musicians, such as the NZ String Quartet, who have contacted me to ask if they can come play there.
‘‘No dates are planned yet and no acts booked yet, but that’s my vision.’’
He said he wanted the array of music performed by the centre to be as diverse as ‘‘a record shop’’.
‘‘Now obviously not all of that is suitable to that venue, hugely amplified heavy metal in that space is going to sound a bit odd.’’
The centre is planning to officially reopen in April, after the Cawthron Organ is restored and placed back into the auditorium.
The redevelopment of the school, which commenced because of the heritage auditorium’s earthquake risk, cost $8.5 million.