Canterbury Schools Regional Orchestra

This year we once again had two students who represented Rangiora High School in the CSRO. This group is made up for students from across the Canterbury area who meet the standard required for participating in an orchestral programme of some depth and complexity. Tyler Waghorn (violin) and Nico van der Meys (cello) attended rehearsals throughout Term 3 at Hagley Community College, culminating in an evening concert, and a full day Roadshow on Friday 12 September. It was particularly pleasing to see Nico move into the first cello position, after playing this instrument for only three years. The concert included excerpts from La La Land, In the Halls of the Mountain King, and The Jungle Book and was conducted by a number of orchestral specialists from the Forte Itinerant Music Team.  

Southern Jam 

This has been a year of firsts for the music department. The jazz band attended the Southern Jam Youth Jazz festival in Blenheim for the first time ever this year! At this festival they played daily gigs, had workshops with highly proficient musicians and performed in a competition and a giant Gala Concert on the final night. The Jazz band took out 4 separate awards:

• Best Jazz vocalist - Alyssa Garrett,

• Most Promising Band,

• Silver award and

• Judges Choice Award for being such a lovely group of kids.

We hope to attend again next year. 

The new lineup this year consisted of Alyssa Garrett - vocals, Matthew Monk - guitar, Ollie Read - Guitar, Louis Hector-Keys, Lola Halliwell - bass guitar and double bass and Mitchell Gray - drums.

It was a long road to fundraise the money for the festival but with the help of our PTA, the board, parents hard graft and a fundraising concert of our very own, the band raised the full amount needed to attend. We are hoping that this fundraising concert becomes a yearly occurrence among many other exciting opportunities. Thanks to Luke Belcher who directs the band, for his countless hours of work, and Bex McLean for her support in fundraising.

Junior Jazz

This year for the first time in the school’s history, a second junior jazz combo was formed; primarily to bridge the gap between the senior group and to have more students involved in the jazz idiom. Once again students were shoulder tapped and invited to undergo the struggles that are: learning to improvise and understand the complex chord changes and melodies of jazz. You can hear them at our school Showcase. We aim to get more brass and saxophone players involved in this group. 

This group consists of Ella Paterson - Guitar, Jasper King - Bass, Beth Wilhelm - Keys, Kaleb Pradhan - drums and Recent additions Jodi Taylor- Cornet and Tui Phillips on vocals. 

The students are practising hard for Showcase as well as for the goal of attending Southern Jam alongside their senior counterparts. 

Rock Bands

Nearing the end of last year, the all girl rock band Juice Box was formed for playing at the performing arts roadshow in Term 4. With an eclectic range of influences and musical backgrounds, this Year 10 super group is going from strength to strength playing a range of repertoire from Queen through to the likes of Stevie Wonder and even some Amy Winehouse. 

Members include - Cassidy Hartley-Brown (Vocals), Natalie Holt (Drums), Ella Paterson (Guitar), Tayla Marshall (Bass) and Beth Wilhelm (Keys). 

Our senior rock band Said and Done, completed at Rockquest this year, performing an original song written by Alyssa Garrett, and arranged by her fellow band members: Caleb Bell, Ollie Read, Lola Halliwell, and Matthew Monk.

We also are enjoying hearing Year 9 student band Rejects - Athena Ladbrook-Vernall, Peyton Chamberlain, Meisha Hendriks, and Thomas Boddy as they gear up for their Showcase performance at the end of Term 3.

Vocal Group

Our vocal group welcomed a new tutor this year, Jasmine Webster, who is part of the Forte Itinerant team. Students spent the first term rapidly learning 4 new pieces for performance at the Country Schools Music Festival, where we were the largest school group in the massed choir. Terms 2 and 3 we welcomed some new members, and are pleased to now have a male voice section also. In 2026 the vocal group is aiming to go to the Big Sing and will be preparing repertoire for that from the start of the year.

Itinerant music programme

This year we saw our itinerant programme flourish with a large number of students being involved in free lessons. We now have a waiting list full of keen students eager to get into instrumental and vocal lessons and have been working through this throughout the year to try and give all students an opportunity.

Rangiora High School is privileged to have wonderful teachers Philippa Lodge (Violin), Julia Evans-Brant (Clarinet/Sax/Flute), Ray McMurdo (Guitar), Raynor Martin (Brass), Joy Gilbert (Cello and Double Bass), Fiona McMurdo (Piano), Jasmine Webster (Voice), Mike Fudakowski (Bass), Francesca Humphries (introductory Guitar and Digital Music) and Aidan Stewart (Drums) heading up this programme. Massive thanks to these individuals and all the passion and enthusiasm they give to our students.