Burnside High School Big Band has won the Essential NZ Jazz Band Competition, the top award at the Young Jazz Band-it school jazz competitions held at the New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī, Victoria University of Wellington on Saturday, 23 September.

The Young Jazz Band-it initiative is a joint venture between Youthtown and the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust (AJE&PCT). Young Jazz Band-it receive valued support from Musicworks NZ and the New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī. This year, more than 700 students entered the competitions, either as members of bands or individuals, with over 200 competing in the finals on Saturday.

Ten high school big bands contested the Essential NZ Jazz Band Competition finals, with Burnside again winning the top prize, following last year’s success, and receiving $6,000 of musical equipment from Musicworks NZ, plus a recording and music video.

The NZ Jazz Composition Competition for the best jazz piece composed by a New Zealand school student or students and performed by a school jazz band, and with a $1,000 prize, went to William Kao from Burnside High School. William also placed third, receiving $250 in the NZ Jazz Improvisation Competition (Trombone).

Rodger Fox, Director of the Young Jazz Band-it Competitions, said: “What a fantastic day. It was both encouraging and inspiring hearing these young musicians perform, making great music together in a supportive environment.

“Huge kudos to Youthtown for funding the Young Jazz Band-it competitions via the Aotearoa Jazz Education & Performance Charitable Trading Trust Inc., to Musicworks NZ for providing the generous prizes, and to the New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī for hosting the event.

Chris Petch, Head of Music at Burnside High School and Big Band Director, said: “This is another fantastic achievement for the talented musicians in our Big Band, especially after their success last year, and facing such stiff competition from the best bands in the country. The proud legacy of success for this band continues; Burnside’s Big Band has now won every competitive event they have entered in the last 13 years; not only the Jazz Band-it but also multiple titles at Jazz Quest (ARA, Christchurch), the NZSM Jazz Festival (Wellington) and the Manawatu Jazz Festival (Palmerston North) – a total of 19 titles. Huge thanks to all the sponsors of this great event, and to Rodger Fox, Director of Young Jazz Bandit, for his energy and vision in bringing such a fantastic event to New Zealand”