It is with a great deal of sadness that I write to inform the school community of the recent death of one of the stalwarts of the Music Department at Christchurch Girls’ High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora, Neville Forsythe.

Neville was a friend, colleague and above all one of the kindest and most generous of people. He worked at our school for 40 years as a Woodwind Itinerant with particular expertise in bassoon and recorder playing, orchestral conducting and chamber groups.

Modest and humble, incredibly generous with his time, Neville was one of New Zealand’s preeminent experts on Recorder music and in particular Baroque performance technique. Many of the bassoon players and performers of today, owe a great deal of gratitude to Neville as their teacher and mentor.

Neville’s passion, knowledge and his inexhaustible willingness to work with and help others, made him one of the finest of teachers. He knew that people matter more than paper and that teaching is a profession of relationships. His skill and gentle wisdom helped many.

Generous with his time, humble and caring, Neville always put others first and was prepared to dedicate countless extra hours to helping his students and other staff. There are many students and staff, including myself, who owe a great deal of gratitude to his expertise and wisdom.

Neville had a wicked sense of humour and was always warm, friendly and encouraging. Many staff and students will remember his fulsome laugh and willingness to chat as they met him around the school.

He will be sorely missed.

Māku e kii atu, he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Michael Langdon - HOLA of the Arts, HOD Music