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Music News

Nanako Sato —

The Music Department has had a busy start to the year, with various groups involved in a variety of activities and events.

Our school choir, which is led by Annabel Harrold and assisted by Sarah-Jane Rennie, has started and the group meets twice a week, morning and afternoons. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and sound quality of the choir members, and we look forward to seeing them perform at the Big Sing in Term 2 and the Voices Festival in Term 3. The Jazz Combo also meet twice a week after school for rehearsals. This group is student-led and facilitated by Kevin Roberts with whom the students are tackling very challenging jazz pieces. The Hagley Big Band, composed of approximately 10 members and led by Nanako, meets twice a week at lunchtime to practice jazz pieces for Jazz Quest, which will take place in Term 3, and also the Big Band Festival, which will be held in Term 4. It has been wonderful to welcome a student-teacher, Nerida Britten, who helped us by playing the flute. There is also a String Ensemble, which has been meeting every Wednesday lunchtime and is led by Kerrin Brizzell.

Various other students have formed rock groups in preparation for the upcoming Rock Quest in Term 2. We are also excited and proud to see so many students who have created their own compositions and have recorded their songs at school or their home studios already, and we are looking forward to seeing them enter the songwriting competitions, such as Play It Strange and ARA Music Arts Songwriting Competition.

All senior students who are interested in music, drama and dance have come together to rehearse for the Hagley Cabaret, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday, 10-11 April. The theme of this year’s Cabaret is Little Shop of Horrors meets The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Participating students meet three times a week and have been rehearsing really hard. This Cabaret combines students from both the Theatre Company and day-time students, so it has been really neat to see our school community working together on such an event. It has been particularly special to see these students work cohesively together and take leadership roles in organising costumes and their designs, choreography, and more. I would also like to show my appreciation to all participating teachers who have kindly given their time and energy to support this cause, the aim of which is to fundraise for the Breast Cancer Society. A special thanks to Kevin Roberts, Tina Munro, Cameron Mattox, Darryl Low, Michaela Heenan, and Fiona Brownlie, and also a special mention to Leoni Combrink for her artistic flair in designing the Cabaret posters, tickets and programmes. We will report back on the Cabaret’s success in the next newsletter.

The senior music students, Year 12 and 13 students, have held their first public performance at ARA Music Arts on Tuesday 20 March for their NCEA assessment. Although there was a smaller number of performers than normal on this occasion, we were really impressed with the quality of their performances. I would like to give a reminder in this regard to parents and caregivers that there will be further Year 12 and 13 performance dates happening on Tuesday 12 June in Term 2, Tuesday 4 September in Term 3, and on Tuesday 23 October in Term 4. All performances will be held at 6pm at ARA Music Arts, on the corner of High Street and Madras Street, and you are all very welcome to attend.

Nanako Sato
Programme Leader
School of Music