
A photograph of a turbaned man sitting on top of a pillar at the Songs For Christchurch launch.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Band Together concert in Hagley Park for earthquake relief. A couple lie in the grass and listen to the music".
A black and white photograph of performers at the Songs For Christchurch launch. In the foreground, an audience member gives the thumbs up to the camera.
A PDF copy of pages 374-375 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Songs for Christchurch Launch'. Photos: Barnaby Bennett, FLEDGE
Tarpaulins and plywood that have been used to weather proof a gap in one of the gables of the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street.
Damage to the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. Tarpaulins have been used to weather proof gaps in the building's gables from where masonry has fallen.
Damage to the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. Tarpaulins have been used to weather proof gaps in the building's gables from where masonry has fallen.
Music we know is a great healer, and members of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra have just been to quake-hit Kaikoura to play for children and for people who're struggling. Kaikoura Earthquake Recovery Team invited five CSO musicians to perform for local schools, for residents in the Kaikoura Health Facility, and the wider community during the week. CSO first violin Cathy Irons talks to Lynn Freeman about the experience.
As part of the Canterbury Earthquake Digital Archive, this thesis documents the effects of the earthquakes on the musical life of Christchurch. It concentrates, primarily, on the classical music scene. The thesis examines the difficulties experienced by musical organisations, individual musicians, and teachers as they sought to bring music to the broken city, together with the measures that were necessary in order to overcome those difficulties. It examines how those organisations have worked to re-establish themselves in their particular musical fields. It charts the progress made, to date, along the path to recovery and offers suggestions regarding precautionary measures which, if instituted, could reduce the after-effects of a future disaster. Recognising that not all of the difficulties encountered were directly related to the earthquakes, this thesis also examines the effects on music and musicians, of decision making associated with the recovery effort. The thesis also demonstrates how a destructive event can provide the inspiration for creativity. It recognises the importance of music in maintaining a sense of normality for people, whether they realise it or not, as well as its influences in providing emotional relief in times of stress. Hopefully, it may become a useful guide to which other cities that may be faced with some natural disaster, could refer.
This article examines the representation of Christchurch, New Zealand, student radio station RDU in the exhibition Alternative Radio at the Canterbury Museum in 2016. With the intention of ‘making visible what is invisible’ about radio broadcasting, the exhibition articulated RDU as a point of interconnection between the technical elements of broadcasting, the social and musical culture of station staff and volunteers, and the broader local and national music scenes. This paper is grounded in observations of the exhibitions and associated public programmes, and interviews with the key participants in the exhibition including the museum's exhibition designer and staff from RDU, who acted as independent practitioners in collaboration with the museum. Alternative Radio also addressed the aftermath of the major earthquake of 22 February 2011, when RDU moved into a customised horse truck after losing its broadcast studio. The exhibition came about because of the cultural resonance of the post-quake story, but also emphasised the long history of the station before that event, and located this small student radio station in the broader heritage discourse of the Canterbury museum, activating the historical, cultural, and personal memories of the station's participants and audiences.
Damage to a gable of the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. The gaps left by the collapse of the building's masonry have been weather proofed with a tarpaulin.
Damage to the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. Tarpaulins have been used to weather proof a gap in one of the building's gables from where masonry has fallen.
Damage to one of the gables of the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. The gaps left by the collapse of the building's masonry have been weather proofed with a tarpaulin.
Damage to one of the gables of the Music Centre of Christchurch building on Barbadoes Street. The gaps left by the collapse of the building's masonry have been weather proofed with a tarpaulin.
A video about the Christchurch Pops Choir which is performing at the Christchurch Arts Festival. The video includes interviews with artistic director Luke Di Somma and president Lee Harris. Di Somma and Harris talk about starting the choir after the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, and singing pop music. The video also includes footage of the choir singing as part of a flash mob at the Christchurch International Airport.
A photograph of an All Right? image on the first page of The Christchurch Star highlighting the Christchurch Gig Guide on page 36. The image depicts an 'All Rightie' listening to music and dancing. All Right? posted the photograph on their Facebook page on 13 September 2013 at 4:09pm.
Christchurch’s new $92m central city library opened today – replacing the former library which was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. But as Logan Church discovers, with sewing suites, a TV wall and a music studio, this library is home to more than rows and rows of books.
A photograph of a musician performing during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a musician performing during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a musician performing during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a musician performing during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a musician performing during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
Dave Dobbyn performing at the Christchurch Earthquake Memorial Service in Hagley Park.
A photograph of people at ArtBox gallery for Something Super, during FESTA 2013. The event included food, music, art, animation and talks about ArtBox, BeatBox and the future of Christchurch.
Information about contemporary popular music in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Band Together event was a fund raiser for the Canterbury earthquake can be found in the 13 October 2010 archived website.
Architecture and music have a long intertwining history.These respective creative forces many times have collaborated into monumental place, harboured rich occasion, been catalyst for cultural movement and defined generations. Together they transcend their respective identities. From dinky local church to monstrous national stadia, together they are an intense concentration, a powerfully addictive dosage where architecture is the place, music is the faith, and people are the reason. Music is a programme that architecture often celebrates in poetic and grand fashion; a superficial excuse to symbolise their creative parallels. But their relationship is much richer and holds more value than just the opportunity to attempt architectural metaphor.While music will always overshadow the architecture in the sense of a singular event, architecture is like the soundman behind the mixing desk. It’s not the star front and centre grabbing your attention, but is responsible for framing the star. It is the foundational backdrop, a critical pillar. Great architecture can help make great music. In this sense music is a communication of architecture, it is the ultimate creative function. Christchurch, New Zealand, is a city whose story changed in an instant. The seismic events of 2010 and 2011 have become the overriding subject of its historical narrative, as it will be for years to come. Disaster redefines place (the town of Napier, struck by an earthquake in 1931, exemplifies this). There is no quantifiable justification for an exploration of architecture and music within the context of Christchurch. The Town Hall, one of New Zealand’s most architecturally significant buildings, is under repair. The Christ Church Cathedral will more than likely be rebuilt to some degree of its former self. But these are echoes of the city that Christchurch was.They are saved because they are artefact. Evidence of history.This thesis makes the argument for the new, the better than before, and for the making of opportunity from disaster, by proposing a ‘new’ town hall, conceived from the sound of old.
A PDF copy of pages 14-15 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Rent Party Club'. Photos: Laura Harper. With permission: Rent Party Club.
A paper submitted by Andrew Moore in partial fulfilment of the degree of Bachelor of Music with Honours, covering the effects of the Canterbury earthquakes on the musical life of Christchurch. Dissertation supervised by Dr Elaine Dobson, University of Canterbury School of Music. All photographs from The Press are copyright Fairfax Media and are used with permission.
A photograph of a musician playing an electric guitar during the Canterbury Tales procession. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a musician performing at Something Super during FESTA 2013. The event was held at ArtBox and included food, music, art, animation and talks about ArtBox, BeatBox and the future of Christchurch.