North Canterbury News: October 03, 2019

NEWS
North Canterbury News, October 3, 2019
11
Youngsters aim for apolished performance
By DAVID HILL
Two terms of hard work is
starting to pay off for agroup of
talented young musicians.
The Rangiora Salvation
Army’s Just Brass music
programme, aimed at children
who would otherwise miss out
on music lessons, has been
running for just two school
terms, but is already proving a
hit with families.
‘‘It’s aimed at families who
can’t afford to have music
lessons, but it’s open to any
students.
‘‘We ask the teachers if there
are any kids who would benefit
from music lessons,’’ Rangiora
Salvation Army captain
Christine De Maine says.
‘‘Research shows that
children benefit from playing
music, as it helps their
attention spans and their
learning.’’
She says 14 children at
Ashgrove and Rangiora
Borough Schools are receiving
lessons at school each week,
with aband practice every
Tuesday after school led by
Christchurch musician Barrett
Hocking.
Some of the children had
never played an instrument
before joining Just Brass.
‘‘I love it. It’s such an amazing
thing that the Salvation Army is
doing in providing free music
lessons,’’ Barrett says.
‘‘We’re now two terms into it
and Ican’t wait for the next.
‘‘We started in week one of
term two. They were given their
instruments and shown how to
hold them, and 24 hours later it
was the first band practice,’’
Barrett says.
Aconcert is held at the end of
each term, with ashared meal,
so parents, grandparents,
teachers and friends can check
on their progress.
‘‘Last term the kids were just
on ahigh after they achieved
their first concert,’’ Christine
says.
The second Rangiora Just
Brass concert was held last
Tuesday at the Rangiora
Salvation Army Hall.
The next one will be held on
December 10, with aChristmas
theme.
Zeke Stirling, aged 9, has
been learning the tuba, which
he says is played by ‘‘blowing
lots of air into it’’.
He says his friends at school
are intrigued by the tuba, and
‘‘some of them even ask how
heavy it is —it’s pretty heavy’’.
He wrote aspeech on the
importance of learning music
for aschool assignment and
presented it during Tuesday’s
concert.
‘‘I might be learning the
guitar next year.
‘‘I want to be afamous
musician and me and my
friends are going to play in a
band.’’
The Rangiora Salvation Army
provides the instruments and
funds the music lessons.
Christine says she is keen to
hear from potential sponsors to
keep the programme going.
The programme is for up to 16
children, so there are two
vacancies available.
Setting the tone ...
Conductor Barrett Hocking leads a
rehearsal for last week’s concert
for the Just Brass music
programme run by the Rangiora
Salvation Army.
PHOTOS: DAVID HILL
Duet ... Grace Seaton, left, and
Joseph De Maine receive alesson
from Rangiora Salvation Army
captain Nigel De Maine.
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