The spirit of the music competition

A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE: In a memorable moment during the seven-day Gisborne International Music Competition last week, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra community engagement programme leader Cathy Irons (front) gave Ruatorea youth, Manawa Harrison (right), who has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and autism, a lesson on violin. Manawa’s father Sparks had taken the lad to the competition but the violin lesson was not his only musical adventure that night. Picture supplied

Taking music out of the theatre and into the community is a big part of the Gisborne International Music Competition’s outreach engagement kaupapa but sometimes the community reaches back to put in something special.

A week-long residency run by Gisborne International Music Competition manager Mark La Roche and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s community engagement programme leader Cathy Irons that culminated in a moving concert at Matapuna Training Centre was a highlight for La Roche — but another highlight was to come out of it.

“A couple of guys — father and son — arrived at the competition from Ruatorea,” says La Roche.

The son was Manawa Harrison who has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and autism and he loves music, says La Roche.

Manawa’s grandmother, who works at Matapuna, says he is a good drummer. Manawa’s father, Sparks, takes Manawa most Thursdays to Smash Palace’s build-a-band nights.

He also has a collection of instruments that includes — aside from drums — an electric guitar, bass guitar, saxophone and electric piano/organ — and he is self-taught.

After their visit to the music competition, Sparks emailed La Roche to say Manawa was a bit bored at the start of the performances “then got more into it”.

While at the competition, Manawa had a jam on the piano on stage during a break and later had a violin lesson with Irons.

“He came back to watch the evening session. They didn’t get back to Ruatorea until midnight,” says La Roche.

“Matapuna was a highlight. This was a spin-off.”