Nor'West News: August 24, 2023

4
History making comp
for Rangi Ruru band
Thursday August 24 2023
Burnside makes
singing finale
• By Briar Allen
RANGI RURU GIRLS’ jazz
band has made history by being
the first ever all female band to
win the Peter Bargh Trophy as
the overall festival winners.
The feat was achieved at the
Southern Jam Youth Festival in
Blenheim.
Year 13 student head of music
Juliet Park said it was a really big
achievement for the jazz band as
it is the first time they have taken
home the award for best overall
band.
“This is my last year at school
and, having been in the jazz
band for the past five years, it’s
really special for me and the
other year 13s to be leaving such
a positive legacy for the band,”
she said.
Along with the Peter Bargh
trophy the band also won a
gold award overall and the best
ensemble. Abby Fleming won
the Sandy Beverly award for
best saxophone soloist, Emma
Comerford won the most
outstanding bassist, and Abby,
Emma and Keina Rollinson were
selected for the All Stars band.
The 13 member band is
made up of year 9-13 students
and Juliet said over the year
they worked to put together
a 30-minute set of five, seven
HISTORY: The Rangi Ruru Girls’ jazz band became the first
all female band to win the Peter Bargh Trophy.
charts that were performed both
at the competition and at gigs.
“We competed against about
10 other schools from across
the South Island. There is so
much fun and enjoyment to be
had through jazz and joining a
band.”
She said while Southern Jam
was their biggest event for the
year, they still have other events
coming up later this year.
“The jazz band is still working
towards many in-school
performances as well as the
Christchurch Big Band Festival
which takes place over Labour
Weekend in October.”
Juliet said jazz might seem
like a bit of an intimidating
genre, but really, it is just the
opportunity to play great music
and connect with like-minded
musicians.
“It is a genuinely enjoyable
and gratifying experience that
brings joy to both the performers
and the listeners, and I would
certainly encourage anyone to
give it a go.”
• By Briar Allen
THE BURNSIDE High School’s
Bel Canto choir has been selected
to perform at the Big Sing Finale
in Auckland this weekend.
The school will be performing
alongside 23 schools from across
the country, including two other
schools from the South Island,
Rangi Ruru Girls’ School and
Southland Girls’ High School.
Music director Susan Densem
said the choir were selected after
their performance in the regional
competition.
“You have to perform a New
Zealand piece, an original composition
piece written for a choir
and the director’s choice which
allows you to do anything really.
It is pretty cool to be selected, it is
very exciting,” she said.
The 44 member choir consists
of senior female treble singers
from years 11-13.
Densem said there are a lot of
choral resources in New Zealand
along with the Big Sing Finale
which helps encourage more
students to sing and develop their
skills.
“When you sing, it is like a
team sport. You create a magical
thing together; it is your voice,
but you are connected with each
other. It is close to the bone, to
your core.”
She said they have a camp at
the beginning of the year and
have been practicing a little bit
more and that the choir is very
much a whanau community.
For the finale the choir is
performing five pieces; one in
French, one in Latin, one in
Samoan which is accompanied
by a Samoan dance, one in
English and one in Finnish.
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