Raise your hand for music therapy

Rare music memorabilia including a Telecaster guitar signed by all four Rolling Stones, a Julian Lloyd Webber autographed cello and a skateboard autographed by the Beastie Boys are up for auction in Auckland this Thursday. The annual auction is held to raise money for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust which operates NZ's only dedicated music therapy centre for special needs children.

The evening, MCed by Oliver Driver and Danielle Cormack will also include performances by SJD, Tim Finn, Ladi 6 and Boh Runga and friends.

News release announce – 1
October 30, 2006

Raise your hand for music therapy

How much would you bid for a Telecaster guitar signed by all four Rolling Stones? Or a Julian Lloyd-Webber autographed cello? Or a meet and greet or a lunch with Hayley Westenra in London flying Air New Zealand?

These are the $64,000 questions being asked as the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust (RMTT) announces its third annual charity auction.

The trust operates New Zealand’s first and only dedicated music therapy centre in the Auckland suburb of Newton. It opened in 2003 and delivers music therapy to special needs children of school age and younger.

The leading lights of the New Zealand music industry will be on hand to support the centre at the auction on November 2 in the Auckland Town Hall – THE EDGE®. The event is being hosted by actors Danielle Cormack and Oliver Driver.

The night includes not only some very special live performances by a set of New Zealand’s favourite musicians but also some creative auction items.

In addition to the aforesaid autographed musical instruments, the organisers have gathered an unsurpassed collection of artworks from some of the country’s most prominent artists and photographers. The artists were asked to either work with a New Zealand musician or to interpret a piece of their favourite New Zealand music and produce a piece of art for the auction.

Look for amazing interpretations of Don McGlashan music and lyrics by artist John Reynolds and portrait photographer Deborah Smith and SJD lyrics by renowned landscape and industrial photographer Patrick Reynolds.

Other items expected to be very popular include a surfboard signed by surfing singer-songwriters Ben Harper, Donovan Frankenreiter and Jack Johnson and a skateboard autographed by the Beastie Boys. Plus the ‘ultimate night in’ at the all-new Xbox 360 room in Auckland for 11 people to play Xbox 360 against hip hop stars Scribe, PNC and Con Psy.

Also up for auction are handwritten or painted lyrics by some of New Zealand's favourite songwriters and musicians.

Musicians performing on the night include SJD, Tim Finn, Electric Confectionaires, Ladi 6, and Boh Runga with Fiona McDonald and a string quartet.

Last year the auction raised more than $190,000 for the RMTT. The success of the auction allowed the centre to provide music therapy to more children than ever before, with 54 children being seen each week.

In 2006, the funds raised will be applied to ensure the ongoing running and development of the centre, according to co-founder and entertainer Hinewehi Mohi.

“The annual auction is our life-blood,” Hinewehi says “and we are always grateful for the wonderful support we receive from entertainers and auction bidders alike. The money really helps us grow to meet the huge demand there is for music therapy services here in New Zealand.”

While Trust patients do pay fees, and there is generous support from the music industry and local businesses, the centre needs further assistance to maintain and grow activities and improve facilities.

The auction is preceded by a cocktail party and dinner during which the guest musicians perform.

Additional items in the auction include

* A home entertainment package from Noel Leeming including a Sony 32” TV with a total value of $2,699. This comes with a $500.00 voucher from Real Groovy Records.

* Ten general access tickets to the Big Day Out 2006, along with a 10 seat table in the East Lounge at Ericsson Stadium throughout the event

* Chris Knox’ ‘Jandalin’ – an amazing guitar incorporating a pair of jandals.

* Framed Bro’Town animation sequence of Fat Freddy’s Drop and signed by the band

* A performance by Dave Dobbyn at your own event.

* Jaquie Brown will bake her specialty Christmas Mince Pies and deliver them in person.

* A Sony home entertainment package valued at $3228.00. This comes with a $500.00 voucher from Real Groovy Records.

About The Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre
The centre provides music therapy for special needs children of school age and younger. It is New Zealand’s first music therapy centre.

The idea grew from a Kiwi family’s experience of music therapy in the UK and, subsequently, the realisation there was a need to provide a similar service here.

Singer and songwriter Hinewehi Mohi, her husband George and daughter Hineraukatauri spent time at the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Centre in London in 1999.

Hineraukatauri has severe cerebral palsy. It was soon evident that therapy through music struck a chord for her. For the first time in her life, she had an opportunity to participate in and control an activity and to actually create something. Most important for Hineraukatauri, music became a means to communicate.

Upon its return to New Zealand, the family determined to establish a music therapy Centre here. The dream is now realised with the opening in early 2004 of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre (RMTC) in Sandringham, Auckland.

The centre moved to bigger premises in Newton in 2005 comprising of two workrooms an observation facility, an office and waiting room and associated facilities.

Currently there are two full time, qualified music therapists and an assortment of musical instruments. These include a piano, snare drums, splash cymbals, crash cymbals, wind chimes, xylophones, tambourines, loads of drumsticks and mallets and much more!

The work at the centre focuses primarily on children. However, the aim is to ultimately provide therapy for all age groups within the wider community.

ENDS

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