Charter

The aim of the Tauranga Amatuer Variety Concert is to enhance the development of the musical arts culture in Tauranga.  This is achieved in a few ways.  TAVAC provides a venue for amateur musicians to perform.  It adds to the current musical performances in Tauranga, and it provides inexpensive concerts that are accessible to the public. It is intended to provide opportunity for amateur performances as frequently as Tauranga musicians and audiences wish to support. These concerts are a trial.  If they go well, the concert series will grow, and occur more regularly, helping Tauranga to become known for its 'grass roots' musical talent. We have the Jazz festival.  A regular amateur concert series every month during winter, would be a great addition to the arts scene in Tauranga.

TAVAC Update (June 2023)

Currently, the concert series is expensive to run, and has not achieved a sufficient audience size to be self funding. Growing this project was hindered by covid. Tavac is considering running a composer's competition instead of the concerts, due to cost and time considerations. If anyone is interested in collaboration or alternatively organising their own independent concerts, please contact the organiser, who may be able to assist.
Allocating funding to performers or receiving concert funding based on skin colour or ethnicity is something TAVAC rejects. While there may be specific case examples where this could be appropriate, it needs to be agreed to by general public support to prevent accusations of racism. Race based funding of the Arts is used extensively by New Zealand government departments. Concerning the Treaty of Waitangi, Tavac does not support (as the majority of Maori also do not support) any view of the treaty that creates separatism. We are one nation. One people.

Style of performances

Performances are acoustic. In the inaugural concert in October 2020, we had performances with flute, piano, voice, harp and guitar.  Small ensembles up to about 5 instruments or vocalists are accommodated. The Concert consists of two 45 minute halves, with an intermission. The show has about 15 to 20 performances, lasting approximately 2 to 10 minutes each. Usually about 10 musicians perform per concert.  Each artist is able to select pieces to play as they choose.  There is no age limit on the artists, however there is a performance standard, namely that the performers must be capable of performing at a standard of grade 3 ABRSM or equivalent skill level. 

Be Part of Our Community

If you know of any artists who would like to play at the concert please contact us. To support Tauranga's musicians, come to a concert!  Everyone, whether audience, support staff or musicians, help make the concert a success. If you are interested in supporting as a fire warden, photographer, cashier, MC, stage manager, marketing representative, webdeveloper, TAVAC committee member etc, please contact the organiser to discuss the current situation and its opportunities.

Business and Arts - Better Together

For the more commercially minded, the more the musical arts scene grows in Tauranga, the more opportunity there is for music schools and teachers. The Tauranga Amateur Variety concert has the potential to attract children and older students, by introducing them to the world of live musical performances. A good way to get your students to refer their peers to your music school, is for them to be performing live. TAVAC helps advertise music schools (free display space at TAVAC concerts), and by arranging the concerts: ticket selling, administrative management of the concert, hall hire and staffing. If you would like to be involved or to sponsor the concert, please download the information for musicians pack which includes contact details. Business and arts can work together to make Tauranga an even better place to live.