Marvelly to hold free public event at polytechnic

Singer Lizzie Marvelly is offering a free Q&A session with the city's local polytechnic next week as a way of giving back to the city.

Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (WBoPP) is hosting the free behind the scenes look into Lizzie Marvelly's career through an exclusive Q&A session with the singer, set to be held at the institute's Mokoia Campus from 10.30am Tuesday August 30.

A perfectly timed insight ahead of her upcoming Rotorua concert, Marvelly is excited to be able to pass on her international experiences in such a rare hometown opportunity.

"I love spending time with students and people who are passionate about the arts. I'm hugely grateful for all of the support and mentoring that I received during the early years of my career, so it's an honour to be able to give back and share knowledge with the Rotorua community's artists of the future.

"My hometown has supported me since I was a teenager, so it's only fitting that I pass on some of what I have learnt."

WBoPP music tutor David Grindley said the workshop, which was one in a series of similar professional one-on-one experiences set to be held at the institute in coming weeks, was a rare "heads-up" for aspiring musicians to access someone who had made it on Marvelly's level and find out not only how she did it, but what her journey was like.

"At a local level, attendees are going to get an idea of what it is to start at the beginning and go through the grass roots/local heart of the music industry, as opposed to a corporate driven break though perspective."

Fellow music tutor Ben Wilcock said the ability to learn alongside like-minded people was also part of the event's attraction.

"People think of Rotorua as 'sports and thermal' but it's actually a musical city. It's got a really strong musical history that is changing as our city is growing - live music in Rotorua is growing. Things like this seminar and the musical qualifications here at WBoPP fuel that industry growth and culture.

Meanwhile, Marvelly said learning and education were the keys to opportunities.

"With learning comes improvement, new realisations, personal development and evolution," Marvelly said.

"I was privileged to learn much of my craft as a musician as a teenager, but they are skills that I still call on today. Even now, with a few letters behind my name (BA, ATCL, ASB), I still seek out learning opportunities whenever I can."

The free Q&A is open to the public, however space is limited. Please RSVP to Ben.Wilcock@waiariki.ac.nz.