AN Eastern Bay musician is among five young, up-and-coming classical musicians awarded an annual Kiwi Music Scholarship, provided by the Kiwi Music Trust. The  $15,000 scholarship aims to to help them navigate the competitive world of professional music.

Euphonium player Luke Spence, pictured, is a graduate of Te Kōkī – New Zealand School of Music and is enrolled in the Master of Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Since arriving in Manchester, Spence says, “I have worked incredibly hard to make the most of every opportunity presented to me and I’ve been thrilled to represent Aotearoa at some of the most prestigious brass competitions in the world.”

In his second year, Spence will complete a Masters level recording project followed by his final recital where he hopes to showcase talented Kiwi composers.

Other award winners include opera singer Shiddharth Chand, violist Cecile McNeill, mezzo-soprano Cecily Shaw and violist Zephyr Wills.

The Kiwi Music Scholarship was established by Sven Stenbäck in memory of his wife Maida who loved classical music. It is administered by Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara.  

Applications for the 2025 Kiwi Music Scholarship open on November 1 this year and close on March 1, 2025.

Details are available on UNZ’s scholarship’s page.