“Resonant, loud, heartfelt, and a bit of a drama queen!”

This is how Wellington violinist Mana Waiariki describes her much-loved instrument, currently on loan to her thanks to the Hill Family Foundation of Arts and Music Instrument Bank initiative.

But it wasn’t actually love at first sight/sound for this gifted young creative.

Mana was halfway through the second year of her performance degree at Wellington’s New Zealand School of Music when she received the call inviting her to become a recipient of a violin from the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank.

A student of Helene Pohl, principal violinist with the New Zealand String Quartet, Mana had reached an important stage in her training where in order to move forward technically and musically she needed a special instrument that could accommodate her growing skills.

“I had been invited to perform for the visiting violinist Hilary Hahn” explained Mana “She is an amazing violinist and to be able to be part of a masterclass with her was an incredible opportunity for me. But I had less than a week to get used to my new violin!”

Mana’s original ‘student’ instrument which had seen her through her early years of study had an easy, clear and bright tone – “It felt like our characters matched” she explains.

By contrast her new loaned instrument had a personality all its own which challenged Mana to really push herself technically in order to coax out the violin’s much broader range of sound and texture.

“I played my new violin at every moment I could in that week leading up to the Masterclass, just trying to get comfortable and familiar with it and get my confidence up.”

Her brave choice to persevere and perform on her new instrument paid off and even became an interesting point of discussion during the masterclass.

“Hilary asked me what I felt my strengths were… and we ended up talking about how the best violins aren’t always the instruments that reflect your strengths but have strengths of their own that might complement or offer greater contrasts to your range of expression.”

Looking at your instrument as more than just an extension of yourself, but as something you can learn to control and grow with has been a wonderful challenge for Mana.

Now, almost three years on, Mana is working with the New Zealand String Quartet as an Arts Management intern under the Maori Arts Internship programme while also juggling a busy schedule of auditions and orchestral trials in the hope of locking in that next developmental stage in her career as a professional violinist.

Audiences in Wellington can catch Mana in performance, whether it be in her various chamber music activities or as a member of Orchestra Wellington.

The life of a professional violinist is a rich and varied one and Mana is throwing herself into this stage of development with great bravery and maturity.

And thanks to the Hill Family Foundation for Arts and Music, she also has an instrument to match her aspirations and support her on this next stage in her creative journey.

Check out all the current recipients of the Hill Family Foundation for Arts and Music Instrument Bank – HERE: