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Supporting music education in Southland since 1968
Supporting music education in Southland since 1968
Out of School Music Classes (OSMC) began on 9 March 1968, with the approval of the School Committee and under the leadership of John Emeleus, supported by a team of specialist music teachers. Initially, approximately 300 pupils attended.
In 1971, Max Stewart, who had already been teaching classes for OSMC, succeeded John Emeleus as organiser. During his time in the role, he introduced several innovations. He established the South Youth Orchestra, bringing together talented players who had progressed through the classes. He also established the Southern Youth Orchestra, which included OSMC members alongside other musicians from the southern part of the South Island. The orchestra regularly attended music camps during school holidays and undertook two tours to Tasmania, in 1973 and 1981.
OSMC continued to grow under the guidance of Alan Menzies and Irene Liddell, with more than 500 students attending classes every Saturday morning. Tuition was offered in every major orchestral instrument, and a separate room was established to introduce keyboard tuition. OSMC was subsequently coordinated by Taniamaree Joll, followed by Deborah Downey.
Today, OSMC has expanded to offer classes on several afternoons and evenings during the week, as well as on Saturday mornings. More than 400 students attend over 750 classes each week, with many students participating in multiple classes.
In 2028, OSMC will celebrate its 60th anniversary in Invercargill. We are proud of our long history of providing affordable, high-quality music education to the community.
As we approach this milestone, we are beginning to share and preserve OSMC's wonderful history through newspaper articles, photographs and stories from past students.
If you have photographs or stories from your time at OSMC, we would love to hear from you. Please email them to osmcinv@gmail.com to help us capture and preserve the rich history of this organisation.
Keep up to date with the latest news and events at OSMC by 'liking' our Facebook and Instagram pages:
"As a timid 12-year-old, I was one of the first-day pupils at the Invercargill Out of School Music Classes 55 years ago. The idea for OSMC came about when a group of local musicians including my Father and renowned composer John Emeleus met to discuss how they could make music affordable for every child.
My instrument of choice was the double bass which I then went on to play in orchestras, dance bands, church music groups, show concerts, and wherever a bass player was needed. I think the teachers donated their time for free for the first few years. While my family was very musical, it was playing in a group with fellow musicians and forming friendships which taught me how to be part of a team, how to explore the joy of music and have fun. We used to hold week-long music camps with the Dunedin OSMC students, the week ending in a concert showing off our skills. Last week, I was blessed to attend the end-of-year concert for the OSMC where my grandchildren performed.
While digital has its place, nothing can compare with the joy of mastering your first tune on an instrument. The music scene around New Zealand has been enhanced by the Saturday Morning lessons taught at OSMC. Invercargill has produced musicians in all instrumental genres who are now performing on the International Stage. I still have my A Tune a Day books 1 and 2 which was what most tutors used. That way when we had an orchestra practice we all knew some songs in common. The retail price per book was a princely 70 cents. The teacher's note in book one is dated April 1968."
Shirley Cranstoun, Invercargill (2023).
Dr. John Robert William Emeleus (1938 - 2026)
John made an extraordinary contribution to music education in Southland and throughout New Zealand. In 1968, his vision and dedication led to the establishment of Out of School Music Classes Invercargill (OSMC Invercargill). Beginning with Saturday morning classes, the programme grew to around 300 students under his leadership. It was the first programme of its kind in Invercargill, creating opportunities for young musicians to learn, develop and experience the joy of making music together.
OSMC Invercargill owes its very existence to John and his pioneering work. His commitment to music education and his belief in the importance of providing musical opportunities for young people laid the foundations for the organisation we know today. His legacy lives on in the countless students, teachers and musicians whose lives have been enriched by the opportunities he helped create.
Born in Northern Ireland, John received his musical education at the Royal Academy of Music in London, majoring in composition and also studying piano and viola. He came to New Zealand in 1963 and continued his studies at the University of Canterbury. Throughout his distinguished career, he taught in primary and secondary schools, served as District Music Adviser for Southland, lectured at Palmerston North Teachers College, and held senior academic positions at Christchurch College of Education. He also served as Musical Director of the Christchurch School of Music.
John's influence extended well beyond the classroom. He conducted the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra from 1976 to 1979, worked as a secondary school inspector, adjudicated music competitions and served on numerous local and national music education committees. He was also a church organist and choirmaster, and remained actively involved in conducting amateur and school orchestras long after his retirement in 1998. In 1999, he founded the Garden City Orchestra in Christchurch.
As a composer and arranger, John made a significant contribution to music for school and amateur instrumental and choral groups. His arrangements have been performed by school orchestras and at music festivals throughout New Zealand, while his piano music has been used by the Australian Examinations Board. His compositions and arrangements have been published internationally and his works performed in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, and the United States. His lifelong dedication to composition culminated in the award of a Doctor of Music degree from the University of Canterbury in December 2020.
John's life was one of remarkable service to music and music education. His vision in Invercargill helped establish a legacy that continues to provide opportunities for young people, and his wider professional achievements reflect a lifetime devoted to nurturing musicians, enriching musical communities and sharing his considerable knowledge and creativity.
We are deeply grateful for John's vision, dedication and the lasting contribution he made to music in Invercargill and beyond. Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Waonui a Tāne’ (the tōtara in the great forest of Tāne has fallen.
Bruce Chilton (1938 - 2025)
Bruce Chilton (QSM), was an OSMC teacher of saxophone, clarinet, and the stage band (a fantastic ensemble for up and coming young brass, woodwind, and rhythm section players). His passion and dedication for music inspired many of his students to pursue teaching careers in performing arts and professional careers in the music industry.
Generations of Southlanders benefitted from his over 30 years of expertise, kind encouraging nature, and the countless opportunities he provided for students to perform in authentic live contexts all over Murihiku. Bruce also went out of his way to offer extension opportunities to students with senior saxophone students being invited to join the Crazy Rhythm Big Band. He was also influential in the beginning of many talented Southlanders’ music careers in his role at the Southern Polytechnic/Southern Institute of Technology.
In the 1998 New Year Honours, he was very deservedly awarded the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for Public Services. In 2019, Bruce was inducted into the Southland Musicians’ Club hall of fame.
Bruce’s impact on Music in Southland is immeasurable and will continue to live on through the countless students he taught and groups he developed and led. Out of School Music Classes is deeply grateful for Bruce’s extraordinary service, commitment, and contribution to music education in Southland, and will remember him with great respect and gratitude.
Bruce's contribution to our organisation is enduring and his influence remains far-reaching and immeasurable to this day. From 2026, the Bruce Chilton Award for Most Improved is presented in his honour at our End of Year Concert, recognising his enduring legacy in music education.
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