NZ String Quartet playing fundraising concert in Whāngarei

Whangarei Sistema student Gracie Haenga helps her sister Ella Haenga with the violin. Photo/Supplied

The "All Blacks for musicians" are coming to Whangārei this weekend, to be part of a fundraiser for Whangārei Sistema- Toi Akorangi students.

The New Zealand String Quartet, which consists of Helene Pohl and Monique Lapins on violin, Gillian Ansel on viola and Rolf Gjelsten on cello, are coming to Whangārei to hold a workshop with the Sistema students, before the two groups put on a concert at the Old Library in the city tomorrow .

Sistema programme director Fiona Douglas said around 35 students aged from seven up, plus teenage tutors, will spend around three hours in a workshop with the musicians.

She said it was "extremely special" to have the quartet come north.

"We are really privileged they are willing to give their time."

Douglas said the students would learn a lot, it would be "like a masterclass".

"These guys are top of the game. They're like the All Blacks for musicians. They really know how to communicate with the children."

She said the quartet had come to Whangārei twice before to work with the Sistema children, but this is the first time they are being part of a fundraising concert with the young musicians.

After the workshop, the concert starts at 4.30pm.

Douglas says the concert will be a mixture of the quartet playing with the children and the quartet playing on their own.

After the concert, attendees will make their way across the road to the Whangārei Club where NorthTec culinary students are putting on a three course meal.

Tickets for the fundraiser, which is called Heartstrings and Dinner, are $65 each or $120 for two. Tickets are limited to 80 and there are no door sales.

When ordering a ticket, attendees can choose from different soup and main options.

Tickets are available from the Sistema Whangārei Facebook page and website, or from Tuatara Design Store and Tait Real Estate.

Douglas said the money raised from the event would go towards sponsoring more students into the programme next term.

She said it costs about $1600 per child per year.