Instrumental Music

By Pippa Morgans, Instrumental Music Captain

The orchestra (DiOrchestra), directed and conducted by Mrs Colvin, started learning new and exciting music, including Les Miserable Medley, Thunder and Thunder and Lightning Polka by Strauss, Into the Storm and more! Every year, Mrs Colvin and the orchestra choose pieces in different styles and genres to get exposure to new pieces and create a fun and exciting program to perform. Each year, the orchestra aims to attend the Waikato ITM Band and Orchestra Festival and the KBB Music Festival in Auckland (something new as of 2020). Thanks to students from Fairfield College and Hamilton Boys’ High, we secured a few more musicians to fill in the gaps and help out our orchestra this year. We want to thank these players for lending us their time and talent.

This year’s jazz band has around 20 people, many more than in previous years! This group, led by Clive Burnell, started their rehearsals on Friday lunchtime a few weeks back and are learning a couple of their new pieces. This year their confirmed repertoire is: Shake a Tail Feather arr. John Wasson and Feeling Good arr. Roger Holmes. This year, the Jazz Band hopes to compete in the Waikato ITM Band and Orchestra festival alongside the DiOrchestra and the Pixie Kickers guitar group.

The guitar group, Pixie Kickers, led by Andrew Hewit, have been rehearsing on Tuesdays 2.00-3.00 pm. This group mostly comprises guitars but includes instruments such as bass and drums. Ashio’s Rag is one of the pieces they are playing this year, and there are a few more that we are looking forward to hearing. We hope the Pixie Kickers will join the DiOrchestra and the jazz band at the Waikato ITB Band and Orchestra Festival again this year.

We are always looking for new players, even if you haven’t played for that long, so please email or talk to Ms Hewitt, Mrs Colvin, or Mrs Greenslade if you would like to join any of these groups or even go to rehearsal to watch and see what goes on behind the scenes.

Hamilton Garden's Arts Festival 

By Kezia Schuitemaker and Ms Hewitt-McGrail

Hamilton Gardens and its surrounds have been buzzing over the last two weeks with the Hamilton Arts Festival. Dio students, Old Girls and staff took the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Kaia Nation (Year 9) and her whaanau took to the stage on the packed Rhododendron Lawn on 25 February before the Sunset Symphony. A multi-talented family also featuring past student Samara Nation and Waikato Dio ITM coordinator Chris Nation with their act The Nation’s go busking.

The Sunset Symphony is one of the Festival's most beloved and iconic events. This year, the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rupert D’Cruze had past students Ashleigh Smith, ITM Tutors Mrs Elsie Kane and Mr Chris Nation, and current students Diny Zhou (Year 12) and Linda Nielson (Year 11). The Orchestra played a large range of repertoire from Mozart and Bizet to John Williams's Jaws and Titanic, to Piazzolla's Spanish Tango.

The Armed Man was performed on Thursday evening and was conducted by our beloved Director of Music, Mrs Maria Colvin. The Hamilton City Brass Band and the Festival Choir came together to perform this stunning work. This also featured current students, Kezia Schuitemaker (Year 12) and Kyra-Mae Wilson (Year 10), past student Isabella Reid, (Class of 2021), who unfortunately got COVID the day of the concert, and also ITM Tutor Jayne Tankersley. 

Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace, was commissioned by the Royal Armouries to mark the transition from one millennium to another. Reflecting on the passing of a war-torn century in human history and the hope for a more peaceful future. The tragedy unfolds through this composition dedicated to victims of the Kosovo conflict. The traditional Catholic Mass provides the framework, including the Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Benedictus settings. This work is distinctive from other because the lyrics are from many places across the globe and involve different religions and cultures.

Congratulations to Mrs Colvin for her excellent performance and all the hard work that went into creating this astounding work.

Vocal Music

By Esther Keller, Vocal Music Captain

Bel Suono is our school’s auditioned competition choir, directed by Mrs Colvin and accompanied by Angela Smith. Before school started this year, Bel Suono came together for the annual choir camp in late January. This two-day camp helped the students in Bel Suono get a head start learning pieces they will be competing at their regional Big Sing competition held in June. The camp concluded with a concert in the chapel, showcasing all of the work that had been taking place over its duration. The camp helped the students to get to know each other and work as a team. 

Since the choir camp, Bel Suono has been off to a great start with their weekly rehearsals after school every Monday, as well as Monday lunchtime practices and invaluable vocal technique sectionals with Jane Tankersley each Thursday. Bel Suono has been working very hard, preparing to perform at our school’s 2023 Open Day on 10 March, and compete at the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Big Sing Regional competition. 

Alongside Cantiamo, Bel Suono had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Musical Director, Rowan Johnstone, where they focused on improving vocal techniques in preparation for their upcoming performances. Last year, Bel Suono was awarded the top excellence award at their regional competition. Not only this, but they achieved a bronze award at the National Big Sing Competition in Christchurch. This was the first time Bel Suono made it into nationals, which shows how much work the students and everyone involved put in. Undoubtedly, Bel Suono is working hard to see what they can accomplish this year.

Cantiamo is our school’s Chapel choir and has rehearsals after school each Monday for 45 minutes. Cantiamo is a welcoming group to all students and is a non-auditioned choir, which is great for working on your singing and adding to your varied experiences at Dio. Cantiamo had its first performance of the year at the recent House Service. Cantiamo also had the amazing opportunity of having a workshop with Rowan Johnstone on 27 February. This was a great opportunity for everyone in Cantiamo to work on many vocal techniques and skills they could take away.

Espresso Barbershop Chorus is another singing group here at Dio, directed by Old Girl, Mrs Jane Martin. With rehearsals off to an amazing start this year, students of all different vocal technique levels and ranges come together for an hour to rehearse. Espresso has a welcoming environment and doesn’t require a lot of previous singing experience or any audition. Barbershop is a singing style where students sing in four groups in acapella. This year Espresso is learning their two competition pieces, You’ll Never Walk Alone and Razzle Dazzle, to compete with at their regional competition, held in June. If you would like any more information about Espresso or would like to come along and join please get in touch with Ms Hewitt.

Dance and Drama 

By Ashleigh Davison, Drama Captain, and Kaitlin Thorrold, Dance Captain.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a classic Shakespearian play, which the Dio community has adapted into an energetic punk rock edition. This production is full of humorous moments, melodrama and love. The production is held from 1 to 4 April, and tickets are on sale now. Make sure to purchase them early, so you don’t miss out on seeing the hard work the Dio whaanau has put into this amazing production. It’s one not to be missed.

The construction and creation of the A Midsummer Night's Dream production set are well underway, with big and exciting plans for expansive murals and artworks created by students to feature throughout it all. Costumes are also beautifully designed by Mrs Boughton, Mrs Ryan, and Teresa Oertly (Year 12) to add another creative layer to the production, even featuring some clothing pieces made by past students!

Dance Troupe auditions have been underway, and we are excited to possibly have two troupes in the Dance NZ Made national competition later this year. Thank you so much to everyone who has auditioned. We have some fantastic dancers here at Dio!

We are so fortunate to have the world-class Hamilton Gardens on our doorstep. Each garden tells a story and offers insight into a different civilisation. This week, our Year 10 Dance and Drama students used these beautiful spaces for their performance assessment. What a special place to perform. 

Did anyone go and see Frozen Jr at Riverlea Theatre in January? You might have spotted Kyra-Mae Wilson (Year 10) in the Dance Ensemble; well done! What an amazing experience.

Visual Arts

By Julia Sharratt

Amazing news from Year 11 Sophie Hansen, whose photo has made the top eight shortlist in the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Photography Competition. Sophie's photo was showcased in an exhibition at the Aotea Centre in Auckland last week. Beautiful work, Sophie!