Our 2026 outreach programme
Every year we organise activities in our community with the aim of bringing musical experiences to a wider audience and into schools. Our 2026 programme comprises both public and educational activities.
Public events
We aim to make our community events free or very affordable so that anyone who wants to can attend. During the Festival there are 3 outreach events.
MMF: a photographic retrospective
We’re also planning another event prior to the Festival in collaboration with the local U3A. Watch this space.
Educational activities
Te reo o te wai: the language of the river
During Festival week in September, students from Martinborough, Kahutara and Pirinoa schools will present two concerts for their school community. They’ll perform original songs by Martinborough songwriter Sam Auger using words written by the students as a result of their experiences and environmental exploration at the Ruāmahanga River.
This project is a collaboration with the Ruamahanga Farm Foundation. Jane Riddiford and Rod Sugden from the Foundation will work with the children to prepare the performance. They will be aided and abetted by expert music educator Lindsey Mason.
About the artists
Sam Auger is a singer-songwriter with a flair for storytelling and a knack for turning everyday moments into lyrical gems. A founding member of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, Sam toured nationally and internationally, singing and playing the happy little instrument.
Jane Riddiford began her journey into native revegetation in the early 90’s and has learned that growing a forest is about growing a community. In 2004 Jane co-founded award winning environmental education charity Global Generation in London, which was the catalyst for her doctoral study of leadership within community initiatives.
Rod Sugden is a former primary school teacher with experience of connecting children and young people to nature. He worked in London in both state and private schools as well as community settings for Global Generation and The Listening Space, an organic garden in the middle of a GP Practice that offers a wide range of green / social prescribing activities.
Lindsey Mason is an experienced and dynamic music educator with more than 20 years experience working in a variety of settings. Her ability to inspire musical responses in children is impressive. She makes learning fun and makes music a joy for all.
Composer workshop
Our MMF 2026 Guest Composer, Victoria Kelly will help senior composition students from high schools around the Wairarapa with the practicalities of creating new music, and she’ll answer questions about working in the music industry.
This free workshop offers a rare opportunity for local students to be inspired by one of New Zealand’s best composers with experience across many genres.
Collaborations
As well as our collaboration with the Ruamahanga Farm Foundation, this year we are also undertaking our first project with the Featherston Booktown Trust.
Alchemy & Annunciations
On 9 May, as part of the Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, we supported an innovative session where composer Eve de Castro Robinson and poet Nick Ascroft wrote a new work, Breakings which Eve describes as ‘intense’, ‘zany’ and ‘madcap’. The work comprises two contrasting songs set to Nick Ascroft’s poems, one written especially for the occasion.
The premiere was performed by soprano Barbara Paterson and marimba specialist Yoshiko Tsuruta. Eve and Nick discussed the new work and their collaboration with Dave Armstrong – brother of our esteemed Artistic Director Donald Armstrong, and a fine purveyor of words and music himself.
