The Tironui Music Trust’s Executive Chair, Justine Cormack, is stepping down from the board at the end of 2021. A highly regarded professional violinist, Justine has served on the board as its music advisor for the past eight years, the last three within the capacity as Executive Chair.

A busy freelance musician, Justine it stepping down to focus her time and energy in a number of different directions. She has a new role as co-founder and Festival Director of AWE (At the World’s Edge Festival) – an annual chamber music festival launched in Central Otago in October this year. She also maintains an active freelance performing career and is further developing her Creative Performance Coaching business.

Justine writes: “It has been an honour to lead the trust these past three years, as well as to serve as the music advisor on the board over the past 8 years. The aims of the trust are extremely close to my heart, and supporting the ability for so many young New Zealanders to discover the joys of playing music with others is extremely heartwarming.

Working closely with wonderful programme managers Catherine Blomfield and Claudia Ruff has been inspiring and rewarding for me. Their leadership drive comes from a deep commitment to the students and communities that we partner within and I am so grateful for all they have invested into the programme.

I am also incredibly proud of the trust’s tutoring team. They are the backbone of the trust – skilled musicians, skilled teachers and quality people so clearly invested in the aims of the programme. Their commitment to the students, particularly during these extremely challenging COVID times seeing them engage with online learning (along with all its challenges and difficulties), is testament to their belief in what the Tironui Music Trust is aiming to achieve.

In parting, I would like to acknowledge the inspiring vision and enormous investment of Peter and Pam Hubscher in building this admirable music programme. It has been a privilege to support the programme to blossom to its current state, though significantly hamstrung in these COVID times, and I wish the organization all the best for a long and positive future, continuing to enrich so very many young lives through the incredible gift of music.”

Thank you Justine for all you have invested in our programme over these past eight years. We are sorry to see you go, but wish you all the best for your exciting professional and personal adventures in the future. Please stay in touch!