Our musicians are spreading their music far and wide!
Learning a musical instrument takes time, a lot of grit, dedication and patience.
Students require the exposure and experience of live performance to develop and find tune their craft. In amongst all of this, students would agree the hardest part is performing in front of their peers. Building a culture of respect and appreciation towards the art takes time, and hopefully with many more performance opportunities lined up, our students, as audience or performer, will gain a deep respect and understanding of what it takes to be able to perform.
The students, staff, tutors and Performing Arts team have worked incredibly hard throughout the year to get the students to the level in which they are now performing.
At the end of August, the St. Peter’s Jazz Band, Impact Percussion Ensemble and Petra Musica Orchestra, performed at the Gallagher Performing Arts Centre for the ITM Waikato Band & Orchestra Festival. It was a great day and a fantastic experience for all, the group walked away with three awards and amazing comments.
St. Peter’s Jazz Band, directed by Mr Jason Wilcox
Bronze award
Adjudicator comments: Good arrangements to involve a range of developing musicians as well as the more confident soloists. Great piano solo (Toby - Year 13)
Impact Percussion Ensemble, directed by Mr Michael Shroeder
Gold award
Adjudicator comments: Really good sound overall, good ensemble awareness, and really good choice of music.
Petra Musica (Orchestra), directed by Miss Mary Lin
Gold award
Adjudicator comments: Great energy, dynamic colour and contrast. Well blended orchestra supporting the ebb and flow of the music. Fantastic rhythmic challenge executed superbly.
Petra Musica extended their playing through the leave weekend, with a day trip to Auckland, visiting St. Peter’s College. The group had an afternoon of playing with over 120 musicians from secondary schools in Auckland and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra musicians in the great Due Drop Convention Centre auditorium. Our concertmaster, Josh (Year 11), sat next to the APO concertmaster and it was a significant learning opportunity.