The Southern Institute of Technology's (SIT) music area at Te Rau o te Huia centre for creative industries was named on Monday (21 Dec) after the institute's late programme manager in contempotary music, Peter

Skerrett.

Skerrett was part of SIT's music department for nearly thirty years.

SIT New Media, Arts, Business and Computing Head of Faculty, Hamish Small said SIT would not have a School of Contemporary Music today if it had not been for the ongoing vision and drive of Skerrett.

"His outstanding work will never be forgotten,” he said.

SIT Programme manager for Sound and Music, Doug Heath, said without a doubt, Skerrett was instrumental in keeping the School of Contemporary Music running at SIT.

“He would have taught and influenced more than 500 music students, and 200-odd bass players. He was an in-demand session musician across three decades – the sixties,

seventies and eighties - both here and in Australia.”

Former SIT Chief Executive, Penny Simmonds, said she has many special memories of Peter Skerrett’s lengthy employment at SIT, but his overriding legacy was the rapport he had with students, which was always so evident.

“The credibility and mana that Peter brought to his tutorial position as an acknowledged outstanding performer and his level of integration within the NZ music industry and the relationships that he brought to SIT, were invaluable.”

“On a personal level, Peter and I had a lovely understanding about how important the SIT choir was for performances at SIT’s special occasions and he always managed to find just the right music and mood.”

Simmonds said Skerrett offered more than just being a very talented musician.

“He was motivated to share his talent to grow and advance his students. Peter’s time at SIT overlapped with my time as CE of SIT and we both treasured the growth in both size and quality of the Music department and the success of the graduates.”

“SIT was very fortunate to have had someone of Peter’s talent and dedication anchoring the Music department for so many years.”

Skerrett was also a session musician, a singer and backing vocalist, the bass player in numerous bands and backing bands, a musical director and a tutor.