Wānaka’s Aspiring Lifestyle Village has taken an innovative step towards supporting musicians with the announcement of an artists’ residency. 

The initiative will allow the recipient to stay at the village for week-long periods three times during the year, developing their work and performing at the village and local venues.

Village resident Lyn Milne was instrumental in facilitating the residency.

“I was delighted to find such a perfect concert venue on my arrival to the Aspiring Lifestyle Village,” she said. “The gifted grand piano and ready-made resident audience augurs well for some wonderful musical events.”

Rakuto Kurano from the University of Canterbury will be the first recipient of the residency.

While working on his Master of Music thesis, Rakuto will share his musical passions with the Aspiring Village residents and the wider Wānaka community.  

Rakuto’s ideas include forming a local string quartet, giving open master-classes, composing and recording a solo violin piece around Ruby Island, and sharing his composition process. 

He is also considering outreach work at the local schools to give a better insight into the music world.

“Rakuto will be an ideal inaugural recipient and we look forward to welcoming a variety of artists in the future,” Lyn said.

Rakuto has visited Wānaka previously and performed at Rippon Hall with the Baroque Music Community and Educational Trust of New Zealand.

Aspiring Village hopes to invite the public to enjoy a live performance with Rakuto at the residents’ Lifestyle Centre later this year. 

“This is such a fantastic opportunity to be able to host a musician of his caliber in the village,” Ann Febery, who manages events and activities with the village, said.

“The residents are looking forward to seeing more of Rakuto and getting to know more about what it’s like to be a young, aspiring musician living in New Zealand.”

Those interested in attending can contact [email protected] to be kept informed, or keep any eye on the Aspiring Lifestyle Village Facebook page. 

PHOTO: Supplied