Congratulations to Sean on this extraordinary achievement.

Sean competed in the Grand Final of the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles in August.

Sean has come away with the following:

• 🥇 Contemporary
• 🥇 Jazz
• 🥇 Original
• 🥇 Open

Overall winner in the Senior Open Instrumentalist Event.

Well done, Sean. HBHS is proud of your outstanding achievements.

Now, let's hear from Sean as he reports on his experiences...

Hi everyone, 

A month ago I got the amazing opportunity to be in the Black Stars team to represent New Zealand and HBHS at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, CA. All my hard work, dedication and practice all paid off for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Before the competition started, we traveled around California. I got to go to Santa Monica, Hollywood Boulevard, Universal Studios, and Ventura Boulevard, where I visited the one and only Norman's Rare Guitars. I got to personally meet Norman and he got to hear me play. I ended up buying a guitar from there and Norman signed the back. I had such a blast over there I forgot about the competition. I got to meet so many talented friends from all over the world at WCOPA who I will keep in contact with. I started the competition with a bang at the preliminaries, and played four songs:

• Master Blaster - Stevie Wonder
• Just Got Paid - Joe Bonamassa 
• Take Five - Dave Brubeck
• Original Song

I then moved on to the semi-finals with my Open Category Song - Just Got Paid. After that we had a big final showcase announcement. And I made it in! I was honestly in shock, we had two full days of tech run-throughs and sound and costume run-throughs. Once practices were over I was on the world stage playing to the biggest audience with 70 countries watching me, and it was televised in America and livestreamed. It was an amazing experience and I am so glad I got this opportunity. 

After the finals: It was the awards ceremony, and I returned to New Zealand with four gold medals, finalist gold medal, semi-finalist pin and an overall champion of the world in the 16 and over Division for my Open Category song.