Arts Excellence Awards

Dame Malvina Major Foundation Arts Excellence Awards support young New Zealanders of outstanding ability in the performing arts who are preparing for a professional career.

All New Zealand

Arts Excellence Awards are administered by the Foundation’s committees in Auckland/Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington and Christchurch for the following regions:

Thanks to support from the Toi Foundation, the Taranaki Committee has different funding opportunities and timings. Please refer to the  Taranaki section below.

For the rest of New Zealand, up to $10,000 is distributed among successful applicants in each region annually. Awards are made for tuition in all aspects of classical performance development, eg coaching, workshop or masterclass fees. A subsidy towards fees at overseas institutions, travel and/or accommodation costs may be considered.

Criteria

  1. Awards are for young New Zealand classical performers, ie singers and instrumentalists.
  2. Applicants must be between 18–30 years old (as at 15 June of the year of application).
  3. Applicants need to have resided in, or have had a substantial proportion of their training and artistic development within the region to which they apply.
  4. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens, but not necessarily resident in either the relevant region or in New Zealand at the time of applying.
  5. The project applied for must commence within twelve months of the final selection and be completed within twelve months unless there are special circumstances.
  6. If for any reason the project does not take place, any funding received must be returned, unless there are special circumstances, to be approved at the discretion of the committee.
  7. Applicants must not apply to different committees in the same year and must advise whether they have received a previous DMMF award from any regional committee. It will be at the discretion of the assessors whether the application can be accepted.

Please note detailed terms and conditions are included on the application form.

Applications for 2024 have now closed. Arts Excellence Award Recipients will be notified mid July. 

For further information please contact:

Taranaki

Thanks to the generous support of Toi Foundation (formerly the TSB Community Trust), the Taranaki Committee is able to offer funding opportunities to Taranaki youth involved in the performing arts twice a year.

The committee seeks to support educational and training opportunities specifically designed to develop the skills of talented young Taranaki performers. Grants are open to artists from anywhere in the Taranaki district and are available in three categories to support performers in the varying stages of their development.

Criteria

Grants are available for Secondary School, Elite Tertiary level and groups and organisations, under the following criteria:

Secondary School

Open to secondary school students 12-18 yrs living in the Taranaki district for use toward the cost of personal education, training and/or development of the performing arts within Taranaki or New Zealand.

Groups and Organisations

Open to groups whose members are based within the Taranaki district for use towards the cost of group training and/or development of the performing arts within Taranaki or New Zealand.

Elite Tertiary level

Open to performers from the Taranaki District undertaking Tertiary study in an area of performing arts within New Zealand or overseas for use toward the cost of personal education, training and/or development of performing arts within New Zealand or overseas.

Applications

Download the application form (pdf)

The committee operates two annual funding rounds closing on 31 March and 30 September each year.

For further information and to apply:

Email dmmftaranaki@gmail.com
Tel 021 0881 3185

Or mail your application to:

Dame Malvina Major Foundation Taranaki Committee
PO Box 3
New Plymouth 4340

 

Previous award winners

Upper North Island

2024

Celia Griffiths, violin – towards a Master of Music in Violin Performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Tayla Alexander, soprano – towards post graduate study at the Royal Academy of Music in London

2023

Ellis Carrington, soprano, $5,000  towards a Master of Music in Voice Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music

Katherine Winitana (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngaariki Kaiputahi), soprano, $5,000 towards an audition tour in the United States including the Merola Opera Program and Ryan Opera Studio

Auckland

2022

Katie Trigg, mezzo soprano, $5,000 towards her studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia

Leon Chen, pianist, $5,000 towards his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London

2021

Felicity Tomkins, soprano, $5,000 towards her studies at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati

Harry Grigg, tenor, $2,500 towards his studies at the Royal College of Music in London

Shuan Liu, pianist, $2,500 towards an audition tour of Germany

2020

Amy Chang, collaborative pianist, $3,000 towards her training as an opera répétiteur at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Delvan Lin, pianist, $3,000, towards his undergraduate piano studies at the Eastman School of Music in New York

2019

April Ju, violinist, $3,000 towards her Master’s Degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London

Amy Chang, collaborative pianist, $2,000 towards her training as an opera répétiteur at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

2018

Sally Kim, cellist, $4,000 towards her Master of Music at the New England Conservatory

Sophie Sparrow, soprano, $1,000 towards her Master of Music in Performance (Voice) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

2017

Clare Hood, coloratura soprano, $3,000 towards her audition tour to the UK and Europe for postgraduate programmes in opera

Eva Ding, flautist, $2,000 towards travel to Quebec to attend the Orford Music Academy

2016

Delvan Lin, pianist, $5,000 towards his studies with the Curtis Institute of Music’s Young Artist Summer Programme in Philadelphia

Shauno Isomura, violinist, $3,000 towards travel to the US to audition for a range of musical institutions

Maia-Dean Martin, violinist, $2,000 towards her studies with Mary O’Brien

2015

Eddie Giffney, pianist, $5,000
Emily Scott, soprano, $2,000

2014

Madison Nonoa, soprano, $4,000
Eliza Boom, soprano, $2,000
Jonathan Eyres, baritone, $2,000
Olivia Francis, violinist,$2,000
Jane Koo, pianist, $1,000
Lauren Bennett, violinist, $1,000

2013

Somi Kim, pianist, $4,000
Ella Smith, soprano, $1,000

Lower North Island

2025

Larissa Kent, soprano – towards second year post graduate study, Master of Music in Classical Voice Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Lauren Jack, viola – towards study in viola performance and pedagogy at the Royal Conservatoire in Scotland

Benjamin Carter, piano – towards study at the Royal College of Music in London

2023

Larissa Kent, soprano, $4,000 towards a Master of Music in Classical Voice Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Chris Everest, classical guitarist, $2,000 to participate in Camino de las Artes international workshop for classical guitar in Carrión de los Condes, Spain

Sarah Rathbun, trombonist, $4,000 towards a Master of Music in Orchestral Performance at the Manhattan School of Music

Wellington

2022

Sarah Rathbun, trombonist, $4,500 towards Master’s studies at the Manhattan School of Music

Amy McLean, actor, $4,000 towards conservatory training at the Atlantic School of Acting in New York

Bethany Angus, cellist and keyboardist, $1,500 towards her Master’s studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Den Haag

2021

Claudia Tarrant-Matthews, violinist, $5,000, towards further studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London

Lavinnia Rae, cellist, $5,000, towards a Master of Performance in Orchestral Artistry in association with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

High Achiever Award

Reuben Jelleyman, composer, $2,000 to attend two international composition masterclasses in Europe

2020

Benjamin Reason, baritone, $5,000, for his final year of undergraduate vocal studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London

Claudia Tarrant-Matthews, violinist, $5,000, towards a Master of Arts in violin performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London

2019

Macy Cook, ballet dancer $3,333, towards a professional full-time training programme at the Houstoun Ballet

Vincent Hardaker, conductor, $3,333, towards his conducting studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music

Pasquale Orchard, soprano, $3,333, towards her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music

2018

James Costello Ladanyi, actor, $6,000, towards a Master of Arts in Professional Acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

2017

Salina Fisher, composer and violinist, $6,000, towards a Master of Music in Composition at the Manhattan School of Music

2016

Alexa Sangbin Thomson, violist, $2,500, towards a Master’s degree at Rice University in Houston, Texas

Hannah Darroch, flautist, $2,500, towards her studies in the Doctor of Music programme at McGill University, Montréal

2015

Christian Thurston, baritone, $5,000, towards his studies at Manhattan School of Music

2014

Alice McIvor, Violist, $5,000, towards her studies at the Glenn Gould School in Canada

2013

Isabella Moore, Soprano, $5,000, towards her studies with Dennis O’Neill in Wales

2012

Imogen Thirlwall, Soprano, $1,250, towards vocal lessons
Kieran Rayner, Baritone, $1,250, towards vocal lessons

2011

Thomas Gaynor, Organist, $3,000
Kylie Nesbit, Bassoonist, $3,000
Nicholas Hancox, Violist, $1,000 for post-graduate study
Xing Xing Wang, Soprano, $1000 for overseas study preparation
Bianca Andrew, Mezzo soprano, $1000 towards special coaching

2010

Isabella Moore, Soprano, $850 for NZ Opera School
Bridget Costello, Soprano, $850 for NZ Opera School

2009

Catherine Norton, Pianist and Accompanist, $5,000 towards studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London

Bianca Andrew, Soprano, $1,000 towards attendance at the NZ Opera School in Whanganui

Chris Berentson, Tenor) $300 towards accommodation at the NZ Opera School

Rachel Day, Soprano, $1,000 to attend an intensive Italian (and Music) course in Florence, Italy at the Accademia Europa di Firenze

Kylie Nesbit, Bassoonist, $990 towards attendance at the Lion Foundation APO Summer programme for instrumentalists in Auckland

Asaph Verner, Pianist, $1,000 towards study at the Cleveland and Curtis Institutes and the Julliard School in New York

Xing Xing Wang, Soprano, $1,000 towards study of German at the Wellington Goethe Institute

South Island

2025

Emma McClean, lyric soprano – towards post graduate study at the Royal College of Music in London

2023

Olivia Pike, soprano, $3,350 towards a Graduate Performance Diploma in Voice Performance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Erica Paterson, lyric-coloratura soprano, $3,350 towards a Master of Music in Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music in London

Abhinath Berry, pianist and composer, $3,300 towards an audition tour of the United States, including Shepherd, Jacobs, Yale, and Cleveland schools of music

2022

Calla Knudson, coloratura soprano, $5,000 towards her Master’s in classical voice and other professional development opportunities.

Ihlara McIndoe, composer and musicologist, $5,000 towards a Master’s in Musicology at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Christchurch

2021

Siyu Sun, pianist, $5,000 to study for an Artist Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama

2020

William O’Brien, bass, $5,000 to study towards a Master of Music in Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

2019

William O’Brien, bass, $5,000 to study towards a Master of Music in Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

2018

Vincent Hardaker, conductor, $5,000 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen

2017

Vincent Hardaker, conductor, $5,000 to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen

Bradley Wood, concert pianist, $5,000 to study towards a Master’s in Piano Performance at the Royal College of Music in London

2016

Elisabeth Harris, mezzo soprano, $5,000 towards her studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New YorkJoshua Guillemot-Rodgerson, dancer, $5,000 towards his ballet and contemporary dance studies at The Julliard School in New York

2015

James Buchanan (20), from St. Albans has been awarded $5,000. James will be studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Music Theatre at the Arts Educational Schools London commencing September 2015.

Callahan Laird (14), from Burwood, has been awarded $5,000. Callahan has been accepted into Junior Associates and a Scholar for New Zealand School of Dance, Wellington majoring in Classical Ballet beginning in February 2016. He will continue his training at Levings School of Dance, Christchurch this year.

Hugh Roberts (23), a Christchurch flautist from Somerfield, returned to New Zealand to give a series of concerts for Chamber Music New Zealand with his chamber group, Mimosa Ensemble recently. Hugh has been awarded $5,000 to complete his fourth year of study towards a Bachelor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Stephen Watson (19), from Upper Riccarton who has a MMusic with Distinction in piano performance has been awarded $5,000 for overseas study. He has been offered places at the Royal College of Music in London and at Barratt Due Institute, Oslo.

2014

Samuel Blakelock (24), a Christchurch jazz guitarist from Fendalton, has been awarded $3,000. Sam will be studying for a Master of Music in Jazz Studies majoring in Jazz Guitar at the City University of New York commencing September 2014. Sam completed his Bachelor of Music at the University of Canterbury in 2011 and was named as the ‘Highest Achieving Pacific Student’ in the College of Arts at UC in 2010.

Bryony Gibson-Cornish (21), a Christchurch violist from Avonhead, has been awarded $3,500. Bryony has completed her second year of her Master of Music degree at The Julliard School, New York and will be studying with the prestigious Scholastic Distinction Programme, as well as continuing her performance viola studies.

Andrew Grenon (29), tenor, has been awarded $5,000. Andrew has been offered a place at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff to study for a Master of Advanced Vocal Studies with WIAV Director Dennis O’Neill, commencing September 2014. Andrew is currently a Freemason’s Resident Artist with New Zealand Opera.

Marcus Norman (24), a Christchurch clarinet student from Fendalton, has been awarded $3,500. Marcus is studying for a Master of Music in clarinet performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. During his first year of study at RNCM Marcus won the Woods/Candlin first prize for woodwind excellence and has been selected as one of only three clarinet students to participate in the Cantiere Internazionale D’Arte di Montepluciano, Italy, the RNCM’s most prestigious orchestral performance platform.

Hugh Roberts (22), a Christchurch flautist from Somerfield, has been awarded $5,000. Hugh has completed his first year of study towards a Bachelor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

2013

Todd Gibson-Cornish (18), a Christchurch bassoonist from Avonhead, has been awarded $5,000 towards his study for a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the Royal College of Music, London where he has been offered the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Scholarship for full tuition fees.  Todd began his studies in London in September having completed the first year of his degree at the University of Canterbury.

Polly Ott (26), a Christchurch soprano from Fendalton, has been awarded $5,000 towards further study for a Master of Arts majoring in opera at the University of the Arts, Berlin. Polly was recently selected to sing 20 performances of a major role in a non-school production for a professional company in Berlin. She received excellent reviews. Polly has also been awarded a scholarship by the Italian Cultural Institute in Berlin to study Italian for a month at Montepulciano, Italy.

Marcus Norman (22), a Christchurch clarinettist from Fendlaton, has also been awarded $5,000 towards a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester beginning in September this year.

Catherine Kwak (16), a young cellist was awarded The Dame Malvina Major Cecily Maccoll Scholarship of $1,000 towards her attendance at masterclasses and concerts at the 30th Euro Music Festival held in Halle, Germany.

Tasman Davids (21), ballet dancer from Christchurch has been awarded $5,000 through the generosity of Rotary Club of Riccarton to complete his final graduation year at the world famous Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, the first in person in Australasia to do so.

2012

Amina Edris (22), soprano from Avonhead, $5,000 towards study at the Wales International Academy of Voice under the tutelage of Dennis O’Neill to complete her Master in Advanced Vocal Studies Degree.

Bryony Gibson-Cornish (19), violist from Avonhead, $5,000 towards study at The Juilliard School, New York, under Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory, for her Master of Music Degree majoring in viola performance.

Jeremy Woodside (23), organist from Hoon Hay, $3,000 to support study at the Sydney Conservatory of Music where he is completing a Master of Music majoring in organ performance.

Taylor Frost (20), actor from Fendalton, $2,000 towards BA studies at London’s Central School of Speech & Drama. Taylor was one of 15 successful applicants to obtain a place at the school among 4,000 actors who applied.

Anna Maksymova (21), pianist from Northcote, $2,000 towards her masterclass course under the tutelage of Professor Lev Natochenny in Darmstadt, Germany.

Christopher Clark (25), conductor now based in Wellington, $2,000 to support his participation in the first annual UBC Wind Conducting Symposium in Vancouver, Canada.

2011

Tasman Davids (20), classical ballet dancer from Shirley, $5,000 towards training and performance with the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St Petersburg, Russia.

Lin Chen (Tony) (23), pianist, $5,000, towards masters studies in piano performance at the Hochschule fur Musik in Freiberg, Germany.

Alexandra Lomeiko (30), violinist, $5,000 towards Bachelor of Music (Honours) studies in classical violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Thomas Eves (22), trumpeter from Strowan, $2,500 towards a Master of Performance at The Royal School of Music in London.

Byron Newton (27), euphonium (tenor tuba) player, $2,500 towards a Master of Arts in Euphonium Music Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

2010

William Alexander (20), actor from Riccarton, $5,000 towards drama studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

Thomas Eves (21), trumpeter from Strowan, $5,000 towards a Master of Performance at The Royal School of Music in London.

James Rodgers (28), tenor from Tinui near Blenheim, $4,000 to support private vocal studies in New York with renowned teacher, Joan Patenaude, and to prepare operatic repertoire under coaches, Kenneth Merrill, Stephen Blier and Nobuko Amemiya.

Gemma New (23), conductor from Ilam, $3,000 towards a Master in Orchestral Conducting under Maestro Gustav Meier, at the Graduate Conducting Studio of the Peabody Conservatory of Music, John Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Tasman Davids (19), classical ballet dancer from Shirley, $3,000 towards preparation and audition for an apprentice year with an international ballet company.

Award winners – Otago

2016

Matthew Wilson, tenor
Annabelle Drummond, violinist

2015

Modi Deng, pianist
Karla Norton, violinist

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