Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai and welcome to the Arts section of our bi-weekly newsletter where we will keep you up to date with our girls’ achievements and news across the arts including information about events and activities. We welcome all our new families and welcome back our returning ones for what we know will be an action-packed year for us all: ngā mihi ki a koutou as we get ready to set the scene for 2019!

Sign Up Day: January 31
The first important date we have for you is Thursday January 31st where you will find us in the Old Girls’ Atrium for the sign up for all our co-curricular arts groups. All students and whanau are welcome to join us at 2:40pm to ask questions of staff and senior students who will be there to explain our groups and programmes. At the same time you will find information on sports in the gym alongside the atrium.

New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Secondary Schools Orchestral Course was instituted in the 1960s and has subsequently evolved into the course now known as the NZSSSO (the NZ Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra). It is funded through a combination of course fees and a small annual grant from the Ministry of Education. Since 1985 the NZSSSO has been organised by the Christchurch Itinerant Teachers of Music – now the Forte Itinerant Music Service which is managed by Hagley College. It offers a valuable opportunity for some of New Zealand’s top secondary school orchestral musicians to represent their school, and receive the opportunity to experience playing in a full Symphony Orchestra. Students are selected by audition from all over the country. Congratulations to the following St Margaret’s girls who have been selected to play this year: Sujean In (First Violin), Meg Shatford (Cello), Amy Chung (Cello) and Jasmine Ward (Percussion.)

Senior Production 2019
We are excited to announce that this year’s Senior Production (Year 11-13) will be “Grimm Tales” by Carol Ann Duffy. This production will explore the darker elements of the original fairy tales and will take the audience on a journey where wolves lurk in the shadows. Watch this space for audition times!
Thursday January 31st, Old Girls’ Atrium 3:30pm: short presentation by Elayne Buckler.

Middle School Production 2019
There will be a Middle School Production for Year 7-10 girls in Term 3. More information to come!

Student Arts Council
Our congratulations to the following girls who have been voted onto our senior Arts Council this year, leading and supporting arts initiatives at St Margaret’s for 2019:
Heads of Arts: Kaitlin Burden & Natalie Hutton

Year 13 members
Head Dance: Annalida Jaeger
Deputy Dance: Brianna Odering
Head Debating: Lydia Munro
Deputy Debating: Sarah Cosgrove
Head Drama: Cara Donaldson
Deputy Drama: Sam Capon
Head Choral Music: Billie Leiataua
Deputy Choral Music: Olivia Willems
Head Instrumental Music: Sujean In
Deputy Instrumental Music: Meg Shatford
Head Technical: Holly Macdonald
Deputy Technical: Hannah Ferguson (Y12)
Head Visual Art: Henrietta Bullen
Deputy Visual Art: Rosa Dunlop
Head of Design/Photography: Hannah Ferguson (Y13)

Year 12 members
Sophie Benson
Sophie Berrill
Hattie Compton-Moen
Zelle Logan
Rosie Milne
Jasmine Ward
Mia Wright

Natalie Hutton & Jono Stewart EP release
Natalie and Jono will be performing at Lyttelton Records 9th February to celebrate the release of their upcoming EP "We Can Only Laugh" and the singles that have been released so far. They would love to see you there. For more info:

https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/tour/9579/Nat-and-Jono---We-Can-Only-Laugh---Ep-Release.utr