Surprise legacy to support aspiring pianists
When David Philps Eade died in August 2022 at the age of 86, he left a remarkable gift in his will to the New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōki (NZSM) to create the David Eade Piano Scholarship.
A passionate and talented pianist himself, David’s gift established three piano scholarships—one for undergraduates, one for postgraduates, and the third for international students. It is expected the first cohort of scholarship recipients will be welcomed in 2024.
Staff at NZSM were thrilled to learn about David’s gift and consider it a great privilege to honour his intention to support the education and training of classical pianists. The gift, which the School knew nothing about, turned out to be the largest they have ever received.
In keeping with David’s wishes, the scholarships have been developed in consultation with renowned pianist Diedre Irons, alongside NZSM head of Piano Studies, Dr Jian Liu.
A celebrated concert pianist, chamber musician, and educator, Dr Liu is founding pianist of the school’s Te Kōkī Trio, and a leading contributor to piano performance and pedagogy in Aotearoa.
Dr Liu said an endowment of this size is exceedingly rare, especially for a specific instrument.
“We are incredibly thankful to receive such an extraordinary gift. The scholarships open up the entire world for New Zealand piano students and will attract top international talent. David's legacy will have a lasting impact on the New Zealand piano landscape for years to come.”
Martin Dodge, David’s nephew and closest family member, is also delighted that the scholarship has come to fruition.
“David was a bit like an older brother to me, we’ve always been close. He never would have imagined at the time he made his will that his gift would support so many students. He’d be delighted.”
A life of music, travel, and service
Born in Feilding, David and his sister learned piano as children. As devout Baptists on Sundays they were only allowed to play hymns. David trained as a primary school teacher specialising in music and for a time taught at Scots College in Wellington.
David was a talented pianist who could possibly have had a career as a concert pianist. He received an offer to train as a professional pianist at the Royal College of Music in London but instead chose to take up a role as a private music tutor in Bermuda. Through contacts he made there, he went to a similar job in New York but when that fell through, he was offered a role at the United Nations editing scientific and industrial research papers.
He travelled extensively, working for the UN in Geneva, and attending musical summer schools at Oxford. Passionate about flying and holding a private pilot’s licence, David treated himself to a trip from London to New York on the Concorde to celebrate his retirement.
Fond of Wellington, David hoped to settle in the city on his return but couldn’t find the type of property he wanted. Instead, he purchased a secluded farmlet in Feilding with beautiful views. He had brought back a grand piano from New York and refurbished it. While occasionally playing at soirees for friends and neighbours, he often played alone, enjoying the challenge of the technical aspects of playing piano. Eventually David purchased neighbouring properties so that he could play into the night without disturbing anyone and so that he wouldn’t be annoyed by barking dogs!
In the early 2000s David briefly sponsored a prize at the National Piano competition held on the Kapiti Coast. He keenly followed the career of Michael Houston, attended many concerts, and was interested in New Zealand’s classical music scene.
NZSM Manutaki—Director Sally Jane Norman expressed her gratitude for David’s philanthropic support, describing the opportunities his bequest will provide both domestically and internationally.
“The David Eade bequest opens up significant opportunities in an area where our School already enjoys a strong national and international reputation under Dr Jian Liu’s leadership.
We greatly appreciate the enthusiastic support of renowned pianist and former Te Kōkī teacher Diedre Irons in establishing these scholarships.
We are excited to be able to announce these new perspectives and are inspired by learning of David Eade’s engagement with artistic communities and initiatives throughout his professional life serving the United Nations.”