Major donation supports Music at University of Waikato

10 April 2013

Major donation supports Music at University of Waikato

A former University of Waikato dean and his wife have donated $500,000 to support the University of Waikato’s Music programme.

Emeritus Professor Ian Graham recently retired from Endace, a data network monitoring technology company spun out of research done while he was at the University of Waikato. Endace, which was listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London, was sold to a US company, Emulex, in February.

Emeritus Professor Graham and his wife Agi are long-time supporters of the University of Waikato Music programme, which last year celebrated 25 years since its foundation. At functions to mark the anniversary, it was announced the programme, which sits in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, would be known as the University of Waikato Conservatorium of Music for compositions and performances.

Their $500,000 donation made this month follows on from other gifts the couple have made to the Music programme over many years. The latest gift is intended to be used within the next 2-3 years to help further enhance the profile of Music at the University of Waikato.

Emeritus Professor Graham, Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Sciences from 1990 to 2003, says the couple’s initial support of the New Zealand Chamber Soloists (featuring key Music staff Lara Hall, James Tennant and Katherine Austin) has led them into wider support for the programme.

“We want to help promote the Music department around the world and support students and staff. The department is full of top performers who share their love of music with their students, and we are pleased to think we might be able to contribute to that.”

Associate Professor Martin Lodge, the convenor of Music in the university’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, says they’re at once humbled and exhilarated to have such strong backing from the Grahams. “We’ve discussed with Ian and Agi what the money could be used for and initially plan to use some of the funding to help staff and students travel to showcase their talents, and to bring in distinguished practitioners for high profile events.”

Dr Lodge says the money might also go towards mounting music festivals or making and marketing recordings by staff and students. “This most generous gift allows us to consider special projects aimed at further boosting our prominent position within New Zealand music, and especially our international profile.”

It is expected that one of the first projects the money will support is the staging in Italy of a new opera by composer and university senior lecturer Mike Williams. The Juniper Passion is set during the battle of Monte Cassino in 1944 and will be the first New Zealand-composed opera to be performed in Italy, the birthplace of opera 400 years ago.

Says Dr Lodge: “This is one of the ways in which we connect the University of Waikato to the world. We have proven top-flight composers, performers and teachers here and it’s wonderful to be able to showcase them internationally.”

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