“There were a lot of Kava nights singing together so I associate the guitar with happiness, sharing and good times. My mother taught me unconditional love and showed me the importance of community and caring for others.”

Marcus found success in the music industry early on as the guitarist for Blindspott and started working with the NZ Music Commission’s Musicians Mentoring Programme.

“I’ve always recognised the power and influence of music, but it was that first experience with mentoring that set me on the youth development path and led me to form Crescendo,” he explains.

Crescendo is a social enterprise music production and recording studio with a focus on giving back to the community. All the profits fund the youth music mentoring programmes through the Crescendo Trust.

“All our mentors are industry professionals who work really hard to build trusting relationships with our rangatahi.”

Marcus says that the program helps to create opportunities in the creative arts and supports young people to realise their greatness.

“A lot of the young people we see are coming in with trauma or a negative narrative about themselves, and success for me is seeing them believe in themselves,” he says. 

Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation is proud to support Marcus and the Crescendo Trust. “Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation's funding was great, but it’s the additional support that’s priceless. They brought me into the whānau and I was able to attend hui and wananga with likeminded people.”

“I got to hear the successes and failures of others that were in my position and connect with the wider community. It opened a lot of doors for me and my organisation,” he adds.