SOUNZ Board of Trustees announces the resignation of its Chief Executive | Tumu Whakarae, Diana Marsh
SOUNZ champions and promotes the music of Aotearoa New Zealand, the leading arts and music organisation in the digital space that makes available the sounds, music and stories of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
“Diana has been at the helm of SOUNZ since July 2015 and steered the organisation through the most transformational period in its history. Digital content development and diversification of our composer representation have been significant highlights of her leadership” says SOUNZ co-chair Eve de Castro Robinson.
“She has successfully implemented transformative strategies for our Māori and Moana Pacific composers increasing representation of Māori (from 9 to 104) and Moana Pacific (from 3 to 22) composers, overseen an extremely successful podcast series, guiding many projects such as SOUNZ Regeneration Hōtaka Māori and the Moana Pacific Instrument Revitalisation projects, and overseen development of the SOUNZ blog and its content. All this engagement has grown SOUNZ represented composers generally from 350 to 668” she says.
The Sounds of the Moana podcast received a Gold award in the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Awards in the category of Music Podcasts, and The Magpie House was a finalist in the Arts and Culture Podcast category. He Reo Tawhito – Conversations about Mōteatea received one silver and two bronze awards in the New Zealand Podcast awards.
“Diana capably led SOUNZ through the challenges of Covid and has ensured that SOUNZ has continued to promote, develop, and create world-class content that reflects who we are and our unique place in the world. She leaves the organisation in extremely good heart and will be missed” says fellow co-chair, Tiumalu Noma Sio.
Diana is the current President of the International Association of Music Centres (IAMIC), an organisation with 35 members representing around 40 countries. She is the first person from outside Europe and the UK to serve in this role. In Aotearoa, she is the Chair of the Orchestra Wellington Foundation, and her previous governance roles have included being a trustee of the Lilburn Residence Trust and the Adam Chamber Music Festival.
She will leave the organisation as of 29 February 2024 and has accepted a post as Chief Executive with Experience Wellington.
SOUNZ Board of Trustees