What high calibre musicians we have in our school! This year has seen significant successes, with many awards and achievements in various music competitions.

Be it personal growth, academic success, or as simple as completing your goals and sticking with it. Well done, all of you.

Congratulations to all the winners of awards this year at both the Year 11 and Year12/13  Prize Givings. We are so proud of your efforts and achievements. The top senior music students for 2018 were as follows: Year 11 – Dani Musgrave and Sol Rogers Mullins; Year 12 – Crystal Saunders; Year 13 – Elia Gibbons; 12HSM – Ben Ritchie; 13HSM – Nikos Kazakos. Special congratulations to the following students who received prestigious awards: Nikos Kazakos received the Professor Sir Frank Callaway Prize for Music; Rongomai Callaghan received the Cultural Award and the Edwin Carr Music Composition Scholarship; and Elia Gibbons received the Westonian Scholarship award.

Link to Year 11 Prize Giving performances: click here

Link to Year 12/13 Prize Giving performances: click here

Year 13 School of Music had a highly successful and robust academic year. Nikos Kazakos, Liam Makinson, Austin Standeven, and Sam Lewis-Bambery have been accepted into ARA Music Arts; while Oscar Kersey and Caleb Morrow are off to the University of Canterbury next year. Alyss Burgess is planning to study in the USA in 2020, Rongomai Callaghan is off to the UK to study further components of music from the second half of next year. Lydia Fay has been enjoying studying at Berklee School of Music in Boston since September this year. Most of our HSM students gained University Entrance or acquired their Level 3 certificate. We commend the work ethic and persistence that you have shown, even when things are not easy. The life of a musician is never to stop practising your instruments and your art form. We hope that music continues to play a part in your life and we wish our Year 13 students all the best for their future endeavours.

[Tangata Beats Finalist]

A massive congratulations to Year 13 School of Music student, Rongomai Callaghan, who won the solo/duo category at the 2018 Smokefree Tangata Beats National Final held in Auckland, otherwise known as Pacifica Beats. She performed her two beautiful songs, The Wings of an Angel – Taku Taringi, and Place I Love, which brought tears to a highly engaged and enthusiastic audience in Auckland.

Profile video of Rongomai.

[Christchurch Big Band Festival]

Hagley Jazz Ensemble, which is comprised of students from Year 10 to 13, lead by Nanako Sato, participated in the annual Christchurch Big Band Festival during Labour weekend. The band had a couple of public performances, one in the Little Andromeda and one by the Art Gallery. We were so fortunate to have beautiful weather, and the band enjoyed being a part of acts at the Big Band Festival. Hagley Jazz Ensemble has been booked for further concerts for next year. Watch this space!

Click here for photos and more.

[Kahikatea Common Opening Ceremony]

Year 13 School of Music students Rongomai Callaghan, a Ngāti Rongomaiwhahine and Te Whanau a Apanui descendant, and Naish’n Morgan, of Ngai Tahu descent, were commissioned to write a piece each for the recent opening of the Kahikatea Common on Wednesday, 17th October. The Hagley Dance Company choreographed dances to their music. Our Principal spoke on behalf of Hagley College and connected with the community around the schools and Kahikatea Common. From the School of Cuisine, Marc Alexander has also been involved in the organisation of pizza oven usage. We are looking forward to utilising this new space in the future. Click here for more details.

Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who have continued to support the Music department throughout the year.

Ngā manaakitanga!

Nanako Sato, Programme Leader, Hagley School of Music