Music Department News 
The Music Department has welcomed 200 students this year wishing to undertake itinerant music lessons across a range of lessons available. These lessons are now well underway with our talented itinerant teachers.
The larger MANifesto squad was chosen last year and after a workshop day with Mr Rowan Johnston, the final 24 for the elite choir has been selected and are now well into rehearsals for the Big Sing in Term 2.
The PNBHS Stage Band had their first playout at the Central Districts Field days held at Manfield Park on Thursday 14th and Saturday 16th March. This is always a good opportunity to blow the cobwebs away that have built up over the holiday season. They also performed at the Relay for Life on Saturday, 23rd March.
Four of our students have been selected for the NZ Secondary Students Choir travelling to China in July. To help with fundraising for this trip the students held a concert at the Speirs Centre on Saturday, 6th April. MANifesto and PNBHS Stage Band provided a support item for this concert which included many of our students in dance, vocal and instrumental items.
We look forward to Term 2 which is a busy term for all our groups, with their regional competitions and auditions for national representations. Rehearsals will need to be a priority focus and a lot of hard work will be required to achieve our usual standard of results. The competition season will start with MANifesto travelling to Taupo on Thursday, 16th May to represent the school at the Super Eight Cultural Festival.
Mr Stuart Easton our Pipe Tutor started out the year by winning the NZ Open Piping Championship and his passion and expertise is showing in the number of learner bag pipe students we have and the results of some of the more experienced students in their respective competitions.
Our Itinerant teachers can be found performing in many different groups across the Manawatƫ and this passion and experience transfers to the students they teach in itinerant lessons.