Cultural catchup - November 2024

Aurora Festival

Several music groups from St Andrew’s competed at the Aurora Festival at Burnside High School, with some great results:

• Jazz Big Band – Gold Award, with Hayden Lam (Year 13) awarded Best Drummer and Tamaroa Connelly (Year 13) awarded Best Bass;

• Junior Jazz Orchestra – Silver Award, with Juno Park (Year 8) winning Best Pianist;

• StAC Symphony Orchestra – Silver Award;

• Isabella Cutforth (Year 10) received a Soloist Award for her oboe playing.

Ballet

Tave Stuart (Year 12) won first place at the National Ballet Scholarship Awards. This is a significant achievement as the event is by invitation only, with dancers first having to gain 97 per cent or above in the annual Ballet Examinations, with an examination nomination required.

Ballet Winter Showcase

During the Ballet Academy’s Winter Showcase, the audience enjoyed a collection of classical, jazz, national, and contemporary work from the students’ class studies to date. A group of 26 Secondary School dancers also achieved their Bronze, Silver, and Gold Performance Awards – dancing solos, duos, and trios.

Three students competed in the Christchurch Tap Dancing Teachers Association (CTDTA) Competition with the following results:

• Tave Stuart (Year 12): first Classical, Barefoot, and Variation, and Ballet Championship; third Lyrical and Jazz; fourth Musical Theatre;

• Neve Aitken (Year 11): first Contemporary Duo; Awarded Most Outstanding Performance; first Jazz Duo, Contemporary Duo, second Lyrical Solo; Overall placing second;

• Isla van Toor (Year 3): first Novice Lyrical class.

Following the annual Ballet examinations at the St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy, NZAMD Scholarship Nominations were awarded to the following dancers: Cameron Lyons, Holly Thirkell (both Year 9); Femke McLean (Year 10); Tave Stuart (Year 12); Siara Clarke (Year 13).

Creative Writing

New Zealand Schools’ Poetry winner

Talented poet and performer Chantelle Xiong (Year 13) was the national winner of the 2024 National Schools’ Poetry Award with her powerful poem But i wish /., which explores diasporic identity. This is an outstanding achievement for Chantelle and is the first time St Andrew’s College has won this award. After winning the award, Chantelle said the poem highlights how those with differences have to overcome so much just to be comfortable with their own identity, “It’s hard to write about diasporic identities because there’s just so much to say. Most of the poem was cultivated by my personal experiences, and of course, that makes me feel a certain vulnerability in sharing it. I was surprised, to say the least, to have won.” Head Prefect, Meg Simpson, won a top 10 placing in the competition for her poem, 11.47am on Thursday, which was another outstanding achievement.

2024 New Zealand Poetry Society’s International Poetry Competition

St Andrew’s writers took out all top three places in the haiku category at the 2024 New Zealand Poetry Society’s International Poetry Competition, which was an incredible achievement in an international competition of this scale and calibre. An additional three students, Ellie Zhou (Year 11), Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (Year 10) and Daniel Officer (Year 12) were Highly Commended in the poetry category.

The winners in the haiku category were:

• Violet McInnes (Year 9): first place and the Jeanette Stace Memorial Award for her haiku, after the strike;

• Shey Doerner-Corson (Year 11): second place for outside the cabin;

• Alexa Collis (Year 9) third for wrapped in layers.

Vancouver International Haiku Competition

The following students won Highly Commended awards at the 2024 Vancouver International Haiku Competition: Toby Allan (Year 10) with evening wind, Fletcher Cairns (Year 10) with in the pond, Jonathan Chiu (Year 10) with through the breeze, Matilda Tombros (Year 9) with moon lit, Meila Farrelly (Year 10) with moving in the wind, and Yu Huan Ding (Year 10) with my graduation and at the grand shrine.

In the Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 student competition, Ellie Zhou won first place in the Year 11 category for her poem, 50c lemonade. In the Year 12 category, Penny Dai was second with her poem, Ceramics. Isobel Forsey was Highly Commended in the Year 13 category for her poem, Primary School disco.

Thomas Ambury (Year 9) had a piece selected for an installation at The Crossing as part of the Word Festival’s ‘Ōtautahi is Flash’ writing competition.

Heidi Smith and Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (both Year 10) were finalists in the Given Words poetry competition for Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day 2024.

In the 2024 St Andrew’s College Secondary School Creative Writing Competition, Trinity Powell (Year 12) was awarded first place in Poetry and the Overall Winner for her poem The last time I will see you. Trinity will be the next recipient of the Kerrin P Sharpe Cup for Promise in Creative Writing at Prizegiving. Second in Poetry was Penny Dai (Year 12) with her poem Loophole, and third was Ellie Zhou (Year 11) for Sometimes I grieve. Although I have never really lost anything, have I? In the Prose category, Cooper Gallagher (Year 12) came first with All that Hurts in the Meadow, second place was won by Keer (Tessa) Meng (Year 9) with The Magnetic Train, and third place by Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (Year 10) with Underwater Daisies.

Jazz Club at Fat Eddies

There was a great atmosphere for Jazz Club 2024 at Fat Eddies, with the audience enjoying performances from the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combo, Soul Band, and Big Band.

Musical Theatre Gathering

Cultural Captains, Jenna Howell and Xanthe Pearce (both Year 13), hosted a gathering for the musical theatre community, with the theme, ‘Dream Role’ inviting students to share songs from roles they would love to perform.

Highland Dancing

The following students performed at the Highland and National Dancing New Zealand Championships and achieved top ten national rankings:

• Siara Clarke (Year 13): sixth national ranking 18 Years and Over, winner New Zealand Championships Sean Truibhas and Reel O’Tulloch 18 Years and Over;

• Emily Brook (Year 11): seventh national ranking U16, winner New Zealand Championship Irish Reel U16;

• Samantha Bilton (Year 10): eighth national ranking U16, winner New Zealand Championship Highland Fling U16;

• Sarah McCarthy (Year 9): tenth national ranking U16, National Champion Dancer U14;

• Sofia Sneddon (Year 7): National Champion Dancer U12;

• Iaera Abrahamson (Year 4): fifth national ranking U10;

• Nayana Abrahamson (Year 2): second national ranking 6 Years and Under;

• Watson Winterbourne (Year 1): first Novice U14 Highland Fling.

A number of students achieved success at the Highland Dancer of the Year competitions:

• Sarah McCarthy (Year 9): won overall Champion Dancer of the Year for the 13 years category, and also won the overall Champion Dancer title for U16 years;

• Samantha Bilton (Year 10): ranked fourth U16 years;

• Adelyn Abrahamson (Year 6): ranked fourth 10 years;

• Iaera Abrahamson (Year 4): runner-up Champion 8 years;

• Nayana Abrahamson (Year 2): runner-up Champion 6 years and under.

At the Canterbury West Coast Competition, Georgia Gregg (Year 7) won Most Points of the Championship events U12, was runner-up Most Points U12 of the competition, and was winner of Most Outstanding Competitor U12. Georgia also won Most Points U12 at the Ellesmere Competition.

Media

Shaun Cooper and Flynn Rhodes (both Year 13) won the Best Sound Design award for their short film Knock Knock at the School Shorts Screen Competition, which showcases the best film-making talents of South Island secondary school students.

Music

Sea-am Thompson (Year 13) visited the UK to attend several auditions for organ scholarships at two prestigious English universities, Oxford and Cambridge, playing at King’s College Cambridge, Jesus College Cambridge, Emmanuel College Cambridge, Christ Church Oxford, and New College Oxford. He was delighted to achieve a long-held dream to be selected to attend the prestigious Magdalen College at Oxford as an Organ Scholar starting in October 2025. In recognition of this significant achievement, Rector, Christine Leighton, presented Sea-am with a ‘Rector’s Medal’.

Raymen Dai (Year 5) achieved a Distinction in his Cello Grade 5 examination with Trinity College of London.

Opera

Matthew Lee (Year 13) has been cast in the ensemble for New Zealand Opera's next opera in July 2025.

Pipe Band

Young piper, Maggie McConnochie (Year 10), has had an outstanding season. After winning two of the four New Zealand U21 Championship events held at different locations throughout the year, Maggie won the overall New Zealand U21 Championship, which is an incredible achievement for a student in her year group.

Back in August, Maggie, along with Lucas Paterson (Year 13) and Pipe Band Director, Richard Hawke (as tutor) had a successful trip to Scotland where they competed at several Highland Games and Major Solo Championships. The students delivered some amazing performances, often against adult competitors, winning or placing in numerous events. One highlight was at the Glenfinnan Highland Gathering, where Maggie won the Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey, and Reel events, earning a week’s tuition and accommodation at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow. She also qualified for the final of the prestigious MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd Competition against international competitors.

A special moment for both pipers was at Blair Castle near Pitlochry, when they were permitted to play a few tunes in the ballroom, the venue for the annual World Solo Piping premier event.

New Zealand Young Piper of the Year

Sam Foote (Year 11) gave an outstanding performance to be named the overall U21 New Zealand Young Piper of the Year, after winning the March, Strathspey and Reel event, and finishing third in the Piobaireachd at the New Zealand Young Piper of the Year competition, a major championship in the solo piping calendar attracting the most talented pipers under 21 from around the country. As well as winning the New Zealand Young Piper of the Year Cup, Sam won $1000. It was a successful competition for St Andrew’s pipers, with Hamish Bilton (Year 9) being the overall winner of C Grade, winning the Welch Family Trophy, and Finlay Trewinnard (Year 9) being the overall winner of D Grade, and winning the McConnochie Family Trophy. Top three placings were:

• Sam Foote (Year 11): overall winner U21 New Zealand Young Piper of the Year, first March, Strathspey and Reel, third Piobaireachd, third B Grade Piobaireachd, third B Grade Strathspey/Reel;

• Lucas Paterson (Year 13): third U21 March, Strathspey and Reel;

• Cooper Gallagher (Year 12): third U21 Hornpipe and Jig, third B Grade Hornpipe and Jig;

• Maggie McConnochie (Year 10): first B Grade 2/4 March;

• Hamish Bilton (Year 9) overall winner C Grade, first C Grade Strathspey/Reel; third C Grade Hornpipe/Jig;

• Charlie Gregg (Year 9): first C Grade 2/4 March;

• Alice Glover (Year 8): third C Grade Strathspey/Reel;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 9): overall winner D Grade, first D Grade Piobaireachd, third D Grade 2/4 March, third D Grade Slow Air/Jig;

• William Nicholls (Year 9): second D Grade 2/4 March, second D Grade Strathspey/Reel;

• Nathanial Jones (Year 7): second Novice March;

• Benjamin Carline (Year 6): third Novice March.

After his impressive performances at the King’s Birthday, New Zealand Piper of the Year and Labour Weekend solo piping competitions, Sam Foote (Year 11) was announced as the winner of the prestigious William Boyle Foundation U21 Prize, a scholarship consisting of a $1000 cash prize.

First placegetters at recent Pipe Band competitions were:

Highland Piping Society of Canterbury Indoor Solo Piping Event

First placegetters at this event were:

• Maggie McConnochie (Year 10): first B Grade Piobaireachd;

• Cameron Sharpe (Year 10): first C Grade Piobaireachd, first Strathspey/Reel;

• Charlie Gregg (Year 9): first C Grade 2/4 March;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 9): first D Grade Piobaireachd, first Strathspey/Reel;

• Samuel Gilbert (Year 7): first Novice Piping.

Canterbury Drummers Club

• Daniel Liu (Year 11): first B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel, first C Grade Compound March;

• Ethan Higgs (Year 12): first C Grade March Strathspey and Reel;

• Theodore Lagias (Year 12): first D Grade March, first Aggregate;

• Benjamin Edward (Year 8): first D Grade Strathspey and Reel;

• Dylan Liu (Year 5): first Novice Drum; first Drum Pad;

• Madelyn Harding (Year 8): first Novice Tenor Drumming;

• Harrison Justice (Year 13): first Intermediate Bass Drumming March, Strathspey and Reel, first Hornpipe/Jig, first Aggregate.

Highland Piping Society of Canterbury Solo Competition

• Lucas Paterson (Year 13): first B Grade Piobaireachd, first Strathspey/Reel;

• Maggie McConnochie (Year 10): first B Grade 2/4 March;

• Hamish Bilton (Year 9): first C Grade Piobaireachd;

• Charlie Gregg (Year 9) first C Grade 2/4 March;

• Cameron Sharpe (Year 10): first C Grade Strathspey/Reel;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 9): first D Grade Piobaireachd, first 2/4 March;

• William Nicholls (Year 9): first D Grade Strathspey/Reel;

• Jacob Wang (Year 7): first D Grade Novice.

Rock School Album Release

A supportive audience of around 200 gathered at A Rolling Stone for the release of the Rock School’s first ever album. While tracks have been published on Spotify from past Year 13 songwriters, this is the first album fully written and recorded by St Andrew’s College bands.

Singing

Edwards Pitts (Year 13) and Emily Watt (Year 11) achieved impressive results at the 2024 Christchurch Junior Vocal Competitions:

• Edward Pitts (Year 13): 16 and U18: first Folk Song, Art Song, second Music Theatre, very highly commended in Mounsey Memorial;

• Emily Watt (Year 11): 14 and U16: first Foreign Language Art Song, Sacred Solo, second Unaccompanied Folk Song, Vocal Solo.

Songwriting

Hayden Lam’s (Year 13) song, Make Up Your Mind, was named among the 63 finalists in the 2024 Lion Foundation Play It Strange competition. He now has $750 to have his track professionally produced.

Tamaroa Connelly (Year 13) was a finalist in the Play It Strange 2024 Peace Song Competition with his song titled Peace On? He won a professional recording of the song in a studio of his choice.

Southern Jam

The Big Band and Soul Band both won gold awards at the Southern Jam Youth Jazz Festival with the Big Band also earning runner-up in the Big Band category. Tamaroa Connelly (Year 13) won best bassist, and he and William Ruge (Year 13) were selected for the festival All Stars Band. Jack Flanagan (Year 13) won the Spirit of the Festival Award for the way he interacted with children on the primary school performances.

Speech and Drama

A group of Preparatory School students competed in Rotary Speech Finals with the following results:

• Riona McKendry (Year 5): Highly Commended – third;

• Rhys Seath (Year 7): Highly Commended – third;

• Isla Marshall (Year 8): Highly Commended – fourth.

Theatre

Tamaroa Connelly and Xanthe Pearce (both Year 13) were successful in auditioning for the ensemble of the Showbiz season of Mamma Mia.

Eden Taylor (Year 10) performed in her first professional show at the Court Theatre, playing the young Alison in Fun Home.

Annabelle Laurenson (Year 6) successfully auditioned for a role as one of the children in the Court Theatre production of A Doll’s House.

Violin

Cheryl Teng (Year 10) participated in the 2024 Hutt Valley Performance Art Competition, Class 14 Orchestral String for 14 years and over, winning second place. Cheryl also attended the Aroha String Quartet International Academy for a week in July.

Vocal Concert

Staccoro, Stacchorus, three barbershops, Kapa Haka, a rock band, numerous soloists, and a staff quartet entertained an appreciative audience at the annual Vocal Concert in the Centennial Chapel.