The Ireland Fund of New Zealand

My name is Brendyn Montgomery of Castle Hill, Canterbury, New Zealand. I play traditional Irish music on the wooden flute, tin whistle and fiddle.

People often wonder how Irish music has taken control a lad from southern New Zealand, about as far away as you can get from Ireland with out leaving the planet. It is something that I have often puzzelled over myself. The answer is that by means unknown to me the folk scene in New Zealand discovered the Irish music revival of the 1960's and 70's and many of the great albums of this period were to be found in homes around the country. My parents being folkies, I was brought up playing at folk music festivals and listening to the very best of recorded Irish music. This musicial influence included Planxty, The Bothy Band, Andy Irvine and Paul Brady, Seamus Creagh, Jackie Daly and Kevin Burke.

Canterbury wins place on World Music Map

6/11/2003

Brendyn Montgomery, first class traditional musician.

M.A. in tradtional Irish Music performance - First Class Honours
Irish World Music Centre, University of Limerick, Ireland

Canterbury musician, Brendyn Montgomery, is the first person from Australasia to achieve a first class honours degree from the prestigious Irish world music centre, University of Limerick, Ireland.

This is an exceptional achievement not only considering he is self-taught, but also because he was the first person from Australasia to be accepted onto the course. Brendyn has worked exceptionally hard to constantly improve his music.

Realising that he had reached some limitations within New Zealand, he decided to head overseas to further his performance skills. This course is the only performance course of its type at postgraduate level in the world.

Majoring on flute, but also playing whistle and fiddle, the course provided Brendyn with an unparalleled opportunity to study from the best musicians in Ireland today. The calibre of students on the course was very high with several "All Ireland Champion" musicians participating (the highest level of ranked achievement available in Irish music).

The award of first class honours is all the more meaningful to Brendyn who, as a New Zealander, was not exposed to the development opportunities or quality of tuition that come with living in the Irish music culture. The majority of the students on the course had access to these opportunities. Brendyn is now the highest qualified traditional Irish musician in New Zealand. Dedicated to music as a career and fostering a tradition here in New Zealand, Brendyn now performs and teaches around New Zealand and overseas.

Sponsored by The Ireland Fund of New Zealand and Creative New Zealand, Brendyn has also been funding his trip to Ireland through sales of his CD and by busking throughout the country.

The Irish World Music Centre is located at the University of Limerick on Ireland's west coast and is widely regarded as the premiere institute of its kind in the world.

The Ireland Fund of New Zealand presented Brendyn with $5000 towards his studies.

Brendyn would also like to thank
The Sutherland Trust and Jean Fleming

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