Beloved NZSO production manager honoured with a seat in the National Music Centre
Grant Gilbert’s lifelong dedication to the arts will live on in Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall’s Adam Auditorium.
Grant Gilbert didn’t enjoy classical music when he was hired by Te Tira Pūoro o Aotearoa—New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In 1992, he thought his role as a production manager supporting their domestic and international concerts would be a temporary gig.
“He told me it would be a great experience for two or three years maximum,” says his partner, Tracey. “And then he stayed for twenty-one years!”
Grant’s appreciation of classical music blossomed from there, as did his extensive involvement with the entertainment industry in Wellington. Apart from his job with the NZSO, Grant’s impressive CV includes work as a theatre technician at the Michael Fowler Centre, a technical services manager for Positively Wellington Venues (now known as Venues Wellington), and owner of a successful stage tech business. He was also president of Entertainment Technology New Zealand, the organisation that gave him a Lifetime Achievement award before his passing. His strong work ethic, kind heart, and generous sensibility were known far and wide across the arts scene.
In 2023, Grant passed away after a bravely fought battle with cancer. Tracey says approximately 200 people, largely from across the entertainment industry, showed up to his memorial to pay tribute to Grant’s legacy. Since his passing, Tracey has been looking for the right way to keep his memory alive.
“Originally I considered naming a bench by the sea because he loved to scuba dive and was a volunteer with the Coast Guard,” says Tracey. “But then I heard about naming a seat in the National Music Centre. And I thought that was an absolutely perfect tribute given his career and love of the arts here in Wellington.”
By naming a seat in the Adam Auditorium, Tracey is not only honouring her life partner, but also supporting the fit-out of the state-of-the-art performance and teaching spaces occupied by the NZSO and the New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī in the National Music Centre, which will be opening with the Wellington Town Hall in February 2027.
“Grant was part of the crew who helped decommission the Town Hall in 2013,” says Tracey. “It was something he was really proud of because he’d worked in the Town Hall so many times throughout his career and cared a lot about its longevity. The plaque on the chair I dedicated to him includes the quote ‘All the world’s a stage’ because it really encapsulates him. I’m glad he’ll get to be part of the Town Hall’s reopening.”
The National Music Centre combines exceptional acoustic and creative spaces, world-class recording studios, and cutting-edge technology. It will join Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Central Library and the City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi City in revitalising Te Ngākau Civic Precinct and bringing the creative heart of the capital city back to life.
“It’ll be amazing to have a venue like this,” says Tracey. “It’s been a tough few years in Wellington, and we need something to be proud of. I think Wellingtonians want something to celebrate, and this is absolutely it. I can’t wait to see the quality of the performers the Centre attracts and everything it’ll do for the city.”
Knowing that Grant will forever be part of the Town Hall brings comfort to Tracey as well. She’s excited to attend NZSO performances in the refurbished space knowing that his memory will be cherished in a place that he poured so much of his heart and soul into. She hopes that anyone who has a deep connection to the arts in Aotearoa might consider doing the same.
To find out more about becoming a Chairholder in the Town Hall, visit the Become a Chairholder website or contact Acting Associate Director, Fundraising, Corinne Barnard on 04 463 6952 or corinne.barnard@vuw.ac.nz.