NEWS RELEASE
10 October 2012
Students Help Struggling Orchestra
AUT students from left to right in foreground: Heidi Thompson, Lizzie McGowan and Laura Overall with members of the St
Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra.
A group of senior public relations students are facing the music as they help Auckland’s oldest chamber orchestra
prepare for their anniversary concert this Sunday.
The St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra will celebrate its 40th birthday this year. As a client of AUT’s student public
relations agency ‘Outside the Square,’ the orchestra is getting a helping hand from students in order to raise their
profile and attract more people to their final 2012 concert on October 14.
The Orchestra is amateur, which means that it is not-for-profit and the members do not get paid. Orchestra Chair David
Kayrouz explains that the orchestra members play solely for their love of music. “That’s what is so special about the
performances, you can really hear their passion for the music.”
With little money to spend on promoting the music and events, the help from the students has been welcomed by the
orchestra, who has had no previous publicity support.
The project has been beneficial for both the orchestra and the students. “Working with the St Matthew’s Chamber
Orchestra has been incredibly fulfilling,” says Mt Roskill student Heidi Thompson, “the real-world, hands on experience
has been invaluable in preparing us for our careers.”
The students’ focus on social media activity has seen their Facebook fans more than double within the two months that
they have been working together. With 163 ‘likes’ they are getting closer to their goal of 200.
The group says their biggest challenge has been securing celebrity endorsement for the Orchestra’s pre-event
celebrations. “It is hard to compete with charities, but it is so important that organisations like the orchestra and
their contribution to keeping the arts alive is recognized,” says North Shore student Lizzie McGowan.
The Orchestras 40th Anniversary concert will be held at St Matthew-in-the-City on October 14th at 2.30pm. Tickets are
$25 at the door.
Ends