Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust

Virtuoso Strings - Te Paemanu Korihi was founded in 2013. We are a multicultural youth orchestra reflecting the diversity of Porirua. Through our music academy we offer rangatahi the opportunity to learn to play an instrument and perform together. We provide instruments and professional tuition and offer scholarships to those who have a disability or are from low income, Māori, Pacific and former refugee homes.

Scholarship holders receive free professional individual tuition. We have weekly orchestra rehearsals, and weekly chamber music rehearsals for seniors, who regularly succeed in national competitions. We encourage our students to take music exams – we have a 100% pass rate. We have public performances, including concerts in Porirua and Wellington, and groups of our members play at functions and events around the region. Our music is arranged and composed by our own professional composer. Our patron is internationally renowned opera singer, Jonathan Lemalu, who performs with the Virtuoso Strings Orchestra when he is in Aotearoa. We offer a limited number of scholarships for students to pursue further study at university.