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Performances at local retirement villages last month by Hibiscus Coast 18-year-old Sam Wilcox-Brown followed his win of a scholarship designed to promote music in the community.
The Daphne Stevens Community Music Scholarship provides $3000 to support and encourage local musicians.
Before moving into the Maygrove Village hospital, Daphne lived in Waitoki where she was well known for teaching piano in local schools and later in a studio in Orewa. She also performed on the piano for more than 70 years.
Previous recipients of her scholarship include alternative folk trio Tweed and Orewa College student Billie Hart.
Winners of Daphne’s scholarship are required to share their music, via performances or workshops for example, in the community. Since the end of last year, Sam has been fulfilling his obligations as a recipient, playing at the Age Concern Christmas concert, as well as more recently at two local retirement villages. He also performed for a Waitoki coffee group at Waitoki Memorial Church.
Sam, who is currently studying music at university, says playing for the older folk was a really good experience, and he enjoyed pushing forward the concept of the scholarship.
“I also promoted it to my younger musician friends,” he says.
He spent the money on a new keyboard.
While playing at Maygrove Village hospital, he spent time with Daphne. He says although she has lost a lot of her ability to communicate through illness, she can still hear and appeared to be listening to the music he played.
Both the retirement villages booked Sam for Christmas concerts.
This year’s round of the annual Daphne Stevens Community Music Scholarship opened for applications on August 3.
Info and applications: visit aucklandfoundation.org.nz and search under Apply for Grants.
