The Musicians Club is proving to be a useful resource for music education in Whanganui, and one that is growing in importance for our school music programmes. Recently, bands from Whanganui High School, City College, Collegiate and Nga Tawa have performed at the monthly club nights to the delight of students, teachers, parents and club members alike.
For these young musicians, playing on the famous stage is a "rite of passage", as they look out through a mist of coloured lights over the sea of faces and bodies which fills the hall. Performing the songs they have prepared so carefully to such a diverse audience who are dancing and cheering is an experience that can only be found outside of the school environment.
The Musicians Club is managed by a core of local musos who are dedicated to promoting live music events in the community on a regular basis. These include the monthly club nights, performances by touring bands and artists across all musical styles, jam sessions, spaces to rehearse and access for musicians of all backgrounds and abilities.
The club has taken ownership of the halls on Drews Ave (formerly the Whanganui Museum, and latterly the Whanganui Savage Club), and there is now the capacity for events seven days a week. Schools, music teachers and music students throughout the town are taking note and finding advantageous ways to make use of the facilities.
Dan Fearn has been mentoring the rock group Wireless at Whanganui Collegiate for about a year. Commenting after the band's performance at the November Club night, he said: "The boys played to a sell-out crowd and are still buzzing from the experience."
