THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Members of the Muse performance group, which gives women a space to flex their musical muscles, from left, Ivy Heng, Ivonne Caceres, Tanya Mitcalfe and Amanda Maclean. Picture by Liam Clayton

After a decade-long hiatus, Muse nights are returning to the bright lights of Smash Palace.

“I got tired of everyone asking ‘when is Muse starting up again?' ” says one of the organisers, Tanya Mitcalfe.

Back in September 2002, Muse began as a group of women coming together to create a supportive environment for singers, performers and creatives. It soon transformed into a place for women to perform on stage.

“There are always women out there keen to perform, but often not so keen to perform in a mainstream setting.

“Women's lives are often very committed. It's often that they are doing a lot of the homemaking and the caregiving and the breadwinning.”

Muse nights are a way to get involved with music amid everything else.

“For them to have an opportunity to do two to three songs instead of a whole three-set gig, it is a way for them to stay in the music-playing game,” Tanya says.

Each performer plays two or three songs before another comes on, giving eager eardrums fresh beats.

“It is truly a collective because everyone gets to have their chance. It's a way of being equitable and making it a collaborative thing.”

There are no restrictions on songs or genres and the evening is very diverse.

“We've had metal, folk and even classical.”

Tomorrow night will even feature an accordion played by a new Muse member, the talented Ivy Heng.

Ivy first learned the piano until she fell for the accordion — colloquially called squeezebox — partly because of her upbringing in Harbin, northern China, where she lived until she was 15 years old before moving to Auckland.

“It is very close to Russia so there was a lot of Russian music. That's why I love the accordion,” Ivy says.

Another new performer is Ivonne Caceres from Chile.

Ivonne is completing a bachelor degree in art, where she is making artwork inspired by songs.

She will be performing Chilean folk music from her home country.

When she finishes her bachelor degree, she plans to match her artwork inspired by a song with a performance of the music itself for a visual and aural show.

Tanya was one of the original “muse matriarchs”, along with the likes of Keren Rickard, Martha Kelly, Jane Egan, Brenda Overend, and many others who established the collective in 2002.

Back then the group would meet at Irene Pender's house.

“Irene was a huge musical influence on many people in Gisborne through her work as a music teacher at Ilminster Intermediate and her can-do attitude to creating musical partnerships,” Tanya says.

“Muse has been very much about mentoring, and many of the high school students who played at Muse events back in the day have gone on through music school and are now accomplished musicians.”

Successful Muse members include Stevii Hill, who was involved with Muse while she was at Gisborne Girls' High School. Stevii now works for industry giant Warner Music, after studying a Bachelor of Music at The University of Auckland.

Almost two decades later, Muse still has the same goal at heart.

Tanya says the next iteration of Muse should elevate rangatahi, so young people can carry on making music and performing.

“New members are always welcome.”

Muse night kicks off at Smash Palace this Friday from 8pm. Koha entry.Any women interested in performing can come along on the night or join the Muse group on Facebook to get in touch with other musicians and singers.