The SMP jazz program is an invitational program open to those with an interest in jazz, which students are part of in addition to their primary SMP program.

Students are placed in a combo and rehearse once a week with itinerant jazz tutors who come in to help. This was the first year the program and groups were not significantly disrupted by Covid-19 or illness so everyone was pleased to enjoy a full year of playing, rehearsing and performing.

The main performance the combos were working towards this year was the jazzquest competition held at Ara and Burnside members gained several awards at this event. Combos 13 and 12 were awarded silver awards and combos 10 and 11 were awarded gold awards which reflected the hard work everyone put in throughout the year. Additionally, Pip Goomes won best trumpet player, Alex Gibson won best saxophonist and William Kao won best trombonist, best pianist, best composition and best overall musician. Later in the year, jazz combo 10 also got the opportunity to perform William Kao’s original composition “Chicks Rumba” in the finals of the young jazz bandit composition competition run by the NZ school of music. This was a fantastic chance for the group to perform the composition to other young composers from around NZ and the composition won first place making it a successful day for this combo.

The combos were also lucky enough to have the opportunity to record some of their charts in a professional recording studio and special thanks to Rob Grover for giving us this exciting opportunity. We would like to thank Mr Hood and Mr Oswin for all the hard work they put into running the SMP jazz program and also huge thanks to itinerant tutors Jimmy Rainey and John Dierckx for the jazz workshops they gave throughout the year jazz and their help in preparing us for our performances.