Although there have been few formal performances so far, all our co-curricular groups have been working hard to prepare for another busy and exciting year ahead, albeit in extremely challenging circumstances with the ongoing closure of the Aurora Centre.

This year we welcome Mrs Georgina Rees-Stevenson to the Music Department team, which otherwise remains unchanged. Georgina comes to us with a wealth of teaching and professional performing experience and we look forward to working with her.

Just last weekend, the Orchestra, Big Band and Symphonic Band spent a weekend at Living Springs Camp, rehearsing intensively and enjoying some down time in the spectacularly beautiful surroundings. We were fortunate to have players from the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, as well as our dedicated team of teaching staff, leading rehearsals, and a capacity audience enjoyed a short concert to conclude the weekend’s activities.

Senior Chorale, Malestrom and Bel Canto enjoyed a similarly intensive weekend of rehearsals with their choir directors, albeit in the more mundane surroundings of Burnside.

Burnside High School is once again over-represented in this year’s New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Symphony Orchestra with the following students having being selected for the course which runs in the Term 1 school holidays:

· Hijiri Yamamoto 13BKC as Concert Master

· Felix Backhouse 12WGBB - Trombone

· Michael Cai 13OYL - Percussion

· Samantha Chiang 12WCMJ - Clarinet

· Lewis Cooper 13OYL - Percussion

· Benjamin Davey 9WPEC - Cello

· Annika Dillon 13LSS – Bass Trombone

· Lily Doak 12WGBB - Clarinet

· Lewis Grey 11WSUM - Trumpet

· Liam Johnson 12WGBB – Double Bass

· Kate King 13WUP – French Horn

· Stephen Mosa'ati 11WSUM - Trumpet

· Saya Nitta 13SRT - Flute

· Emica Taylor 11WSUM - Flute

· Leon Thomas 11SBUC - Violin

Entry to the NZSSSO is by audition, drawing from some of New Zealand's top secondary school orchestral instrumentalists. Please go along to their concert on Saturday 28th April in the Charles Luney Auditorium at St Margaret's College, 7.30pm start.

National Concerto Competition Success

This year we were very proud that two BHS students, Lixin Zhang (Yr13, SMP Piano) and Muse Ye (SMP Piano, left in 2014) reached the final of the National Concerto Competition, a prestigious event open to all pianists under the age of 25.

The final took place on Saturday 3rd March at The Charles Luney Auditorium St Margaret's College, where each finalist performed a full concerto accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra conducted by chief conductor Benjamin Northey.

It was great to see a strong Burnside presence in the audience to support Lixin and Muse. Muse was placed 3rd and Lixin placed 2nd. Congratulations to both (pictured below with Benjamin Northey).

SMP Badge Presentation Evening

A new initiative, this event took place on 21 February in the staff room and was well attended by students, families and SMP staff. This year's new SMP students were welcomed to Burnside and presented with their badges. Year 13 SMP students with three or more years of service were presented with the new "Honours" gold badge.

Pictured below: 1. Year 9 SMP students; 2. Year 13 Honours students, with Chris Petch, HOD Music and Dr Patrick Shepherd, President of SMP

SMP Information Evening - Wednesday 2nd May, The Staff Room, 7.00pm

Applications are invited for entry to the Specialist Music programme in 2019 from students currently in Year 8 or already attending Burnside High School. Students who are considering applying, together with their parents, are invited to an information evening where they can hear from staff and students involved in the SMP and have their questions addressed. Full information and application form: www.specialistmusicprogramme.co.nz or from the school homepage, or from main reception. Please spread the word to any friends or family members in the community who may be interested in joining our unique and treasured programme.

Alumni News

Congratulations to Hamish Smith (BHS leaver in 2016) who has won a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, one of the world’s top music schools, studying Jazz Bass. Hamish is the second Burnside SMP student to win a place at this prestigious school; Anna Whitaker (ex-SMP Voice) is currently studying there too.

Concerts Coming Up in Term 2…

Jazz Café – Sunday 20 May, Dim 7, Lincoln Road

Chamber Music and Choral Showcase Concert - Thursday 31 May, “The Piano”, Armagh Street

North West Festival - Tuesday 26 - Thursday 28 June, Aurora Centre