MUSIC NEWS

What a month it has been in music! There have been no winter blues in this block; instead, inspired students have been playing some high-level music and are being recognized for it at a national level.

Where to start?

Let's begin with the news that "Twin Harmony" has made it to the National Finals of Tangata Beats 2023 in TĀMAKI MAKAURAU / AUCKLAND! This means they are among the top 10 groups in NZ that write original music through a cultural lens. They will perform in the final concert on September 15th after spending two days on soundchecks and workshops with top Aoteroa artists and industry executives from the New Zealand Music Commission. They have already won a regional prize and the opportunity to record, and potentially they could win even more prizes, studio time, and get to perform in amazing gigs next summer. We are immensely proud of Tane and Aka, who continue to represent the school in various sports, cultural activities, and music.

We know the judges loved them. Some of the judges' comments were:

“I really like the songs and love their fluent feeling in the te reo kupu Māori. It's a joy to hear it being incorporated into the music, rather than an afterthought. It's part of the song and is the waiata. Ka mau to wehi! Tau kē.”

“Heartwarming uplifting song - I can feel the soul.”

Absolutely beautiful vocals! The dynamics, the back-and-forths, and the harmonies were executed perfectly. I loved the laid-back intimate feel!

JAZZ NEWS!

A few weeks ago, both the Junior and Senior Jazz bands competed in the ARA Jazz Quest, and we were very proud of their achievements. The Junior Band won a silver award, and the Senior Band won a bronze award.

As we headed to Blenheim and Picton for the Southern Jam Jazz competition, our goal was to have a great time, create a positive and supportive culture, and improve on the scores from Jazz Quest.

Our tour started with a gig at Picton Primary School. The students danced joyfully and spontaneously did a Haka to “Don't Forget Your Roots” by Six60. That day, the students were reminded of what music is all about: not just judging or scores, but the joy that music brings to an audience.

We had many gigs around Blenheim and Picton, all of which were excellent. Another highlight was the gig we did with Papanui High School, where even some teachers and students got up to boogie (well, actually, only one, Ms. Herman). The night ended with an epic Papanui vs. Shirley Boys pool match, which unfortunately we lost by one shot.

Amidst the gigs, we also participated in the competition and master classes with Roger Fox and his associates. On Saturday, we were back at the ASB Theatre to hear the awards and participate in more masterclasses. We were hopeful for an improvement in grade from Jazz Quest, and we all agreed that the positive and kind culture within the group greatly contributed to their performance in the competition. We were elated when our very own Josh Murray was chosen as the drummer of the competition and invited to perform for the All Stars band.

We were absolutely amazed to learn that both the Senior and Junior bands had achieved GOLD awards! We had heard many of the bands and were blown away by the overall standard at what essentially is a South Island Championship of Jazz. It was a great honour to be placed alongside other fantastic schools that had also earned gold awards. However, the biggest surprise was yet to come: the Senior Band was named the “Best Big Band” for the entire competition. For a public school new to the Jazz competition, this was a significant achievement and truly reflects all the hard work put in by Judith Bell and Brad Banks in previous years.

Overall, the trip was a fantastic success with numerous musical highlights. We also had a captivating and incredibly messy “Masterchef Competition,” won by a “fancy self-saucing Chocolate pudding” made from an old Swift family recipe, and in second place was a “slow-roasted jerk-style pork belly.” Who knew musicians could be such talented chefs! If only you could have seen the kitchen after those three hours—unbelievably messy. And guess who finally took a night off from cooking and had to do the dishes? That would be me and our helpful conducting bus driver, Mr. Thorpe.

Some student comments about the trip:

Ryan Scammell:

Four days of playing, workshops, and listening to jazz—Southern Jam was a trip to remember. It was amazing to watch and play with some of the best high school-aged jazz players in the country. Many thanks to Ms. Herman, Mr. Thorpe, Mr. and Mrs. Bell for making it all possible, and thanks to everyone in the bands who were an awesome bunch to hang out with.

Jelani Benjamin:

Being so intensely exposed to pure jazz sauce was amazing. All the gigs, practices, and spending time with my friends, who are all wonderful musicians, made it a great time.