Term 2 Music Department News 
Due to covid restrictions on playing woodwind and brass instruments inside, along with restrictions on singing, Term one was very quiet and lessons were undertaken outside thanks to the balmy weather that blessed us.
The students started Term 2 with enthusiasm and were looking forward to playing in groups and inside. As the music programme and events returned to somewhere near normal, the competitions in Term 2 were something to work towards.
First up, the OK Chorale travelled to Napier Boys' High School for the Super Eight Cultural Festival held at the end of May. Travelling on the bus with the Kapa Haka group and meeting up with the chess and debating teams provided the students with a united collegial experience and a learning opportunity for the OK Chorale.
NZ Chamber Music regionals were held on Monday June 13th. The school had two groups entered. A brass quintet ‘The Honkers’ (Saem Millward, Camden Woodroofe, Teo Jauregui-Na, Oliver Song and Hawaiiki Docherty-Parete) and a guitar trio (Alex Christensen, Camden Woodroofe and Jesse Wallace). This group achieved Highly Commended overall, The Honkers’ were awarded the Best brass ensemble.
The Stage Band put in another solid performance for the Manawatu Jazz Festival and were justifiably awarded Best Manawatu Big Band and Best High School Band overall. Josh Bergerson was awarded Best Drummer in a Big Band. 
The same week saw the Stage Band record an audition for a new Jazz opportunity with the ‘Young Jazz Band It’, competition in its inaugural year. This sees all secondary schools from throughout the country record an audition of New Zealand pieces and then the top 10 bands will be selected to compete in Wellington in late September. The band is still awaiting results of their audition.
Rockquest this year was very low on numbers and we had one of the two groups entered perform creditably and make it through to Regional finals. 'What the Funk' is a funk/ rock fusion band (Callum Alex Christensen, Camden Woodroofe, Luca Tatana, Axis Simon, Saem Millward and Josh Webster). The boys must now submit a video of a second song to see if they progress further in the competition.
The Regional Big Sing competition took place on Thursday 16th June and was held at the Regent Theatre, this year due to covid restrictions we only had the OK Chorale participate.
The OK Chorale was chosen in February after a busy day of auditions and workshops. They then settled quickly and easily into their work and have become a strong group. Public performances at Super Eight Cultural Festival, and Music Viva fine tuned them ready for the Big Sing.
After a credible performance singing ‘A Long Time Ago’ by David Hamilton and ‘Nobody’s Moggy’ by Eric Bogle, the OK Chorale were awarded the Spirit of the Festival award, the Best A cappella Performance and the commentators Special Performance Award. As well as that, they have won a nomination as one of the top twenty four choirs to take part in the National Big Sing Finale to be held in Christchurch on August 25th to 27th. A lot of hard work will be undertaken before then. 
Huge thanks must go to the many music tutors who have continued to deliver their lessons during trying times with many illness absences by the students, undertaking their lessons outside in all temperatures and the uncertainty of these times.
Students who have been selected into national groups are;
NZSS Choir – Vealata Tongati’o and Leo Xu
NZSS Orchestra – Torrence Cheung [violin]and Arahan Pilkington [trumpet]
Watch the Stage Band's recent performance in assembly:
