Kathryn Orbell, St Paul's itinerant flute teacher, was recently awarded a Queen's Service Medal (QSM) for services to music.

Ms Kathryn Orbell has been a driving force in music education in the Waikato for the past 20 years.
In 1991 Ms Orbell was a founding member of Opus, the first professional Waikato/Bay of Plenty orchestra and was principal flautist until 2006. She has been the Waikato District Contest Organiser for Chamber Music New Zealand since 2003, organising the local rounds of the NZCT Chamber Music Contest for secondary school students and actively promoting the contest. This long standing, annual event is the highlight of the secondary schools’ classical musical year and the role involves a significant amount of work. For the last 12 years she has run an annual Flute Festival attended by flutists from across New Zealand. Each event features an International Guest Artist brought into the country, to teach a weekend of masterclasses, technique sessions and pedagogical lectures and recitals. Ms Orbell is also a founding member of the ensemble Waikato Baroque, a past member of both the Hamilton Civic and Anglican Cathedral choirs, and is an itinerant flute teacher in Waikato Schools.

- Statement from Prime Minister's cabinet 

We're very proud to have Ms Orbell teaching at St Paul's and offer her our congratulations on this outstanding recognition.