Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
1 day ago
A Hawke’s Bay music graduate is working behind the scenes of major live events across the region after completing her Bachelor of Creative Practice (Music) at EIT.
Brooke Rowe (Ngāti Kahungunu), 24, completed the degree at the end of last year after returning home from Wellington, where she had been working as a barista.
“I was living in Wellington, and I was missing home, so I decided to come back to Hawke’s Bay.”
Brooke Rowe studied a Bachelor of Creative Practice (Music) at EIT.
Having grown up playing guitar and taking singing lessons, Brooke says music was one of the only things she had ever been truly interested in pursuing.
“I’ve always loved music. It was really one of the only things I was actually ever interested in.”
During her studies, Brooke was drawn to the performance side of the programme, which offered regular opportunities to perform at local venues.
“I’ve always loved performing, so the music degree was great because there were lots of opportunities for live performance.”
Highlights included performing at venues such as The Cabana and Paisley Stage, as well as a performance at Ōtātara Pā.
Through the degree, Brooke also gained an internship working behind the scenes at local events, including Outfield Festival and the setup for a UB40 concert.
“Those opportunities have come through my tutors and EIT.”
The experience helped her discover a passion for the production side of live music she had not expected.
“Through EIT, they have really helped me realise that I do like stage management and the detail work that goes into putting on live performance.”
“You can see the crowd and how they are enjoying it right away. There is more connection to your audience. When you are putting on a show, you get to see all the details come together in an instant. There is always a certain energy at live events which I love.”
Brooke says the support of tutors and the close-knit class environment made a significant difference to her experience.
“All our tutors were on the ball. They were really patient and helped us through everything. The class sizes were quite small, which was really helpful, especially in a degree like music where you are working closely with each other and forming bands.”
She graduates next month and is keen to keep building her experience in the live events sector.
Music Lecturer Svetlana Eliason said: “Brooke is a passionate and enthusiastic performer who brings both creativity and care to everything she does”.
“Sometimes she would step confidently into the spotlight with an acoustic guitar; at other times, she was the driving force behind beautifully choreographed theatrical performances. Her final student performance showcased her growth as a songwriter and performer, as well as her professionalism as stage manager for the entire event.”
