A dozen silver-winning musicians from Kaitāia College will soon travel to Samoa, illustrating the path-paving potential of their craft.
The musicians in Years 11-13 comprise the college’s School Jazz Waka and school choir Ngā Reo o Kaitāia, which both recently secured second place at highly-regarded competitions in Auckland and Rotorua.
They are, Kees Cherrington (trumpet), Grant Hemana (bass), Robin Hemana (drums), Remy Herbert (percussion), Iosefa Itieli (vocalist), Noah McBirney-Warnes (trombone), Eric Reid-Pihema (guitar), Hientai Punshon (percussion), Abigail Shackelton (tenor sax), LeeZion Tepania (piano), Elizabeth Thompson (alto sax) and Nathaniel Vemoa (trumpet).
It was the Jazz Waka’s second time competing at the annual KBB Music Festival, where a total of 45 jazz groups from schools around Auckland competed.
They were once again the only Northland school to compete at KBB - Aotearoa’s largest secondary school instrumental festival - which this year marked its 40th year celebrating youth music.
Their silver win was also an improvement on their debut bronze in 2022.
Bass player Grant Hemana said KBB was “an awesome reminder of how people who don’t even know each other can come together through music”.
Festival chairman Trevor Thwaites said KBB had grown to see more than 4500 students in 145 groups from more than 50 schools taking part.
“The skills required to perform in ensembles of this nature require personal dedication and time, as well as a developing musical understanding and social responsibility through listening to and working with other musicians and musical directors.”
Thwaites said the festival was recognised for the quality of the music performed, which reflected students’ commitment as well as that of their teachers.
Percussionist and vocalist Hinetai Punshon said being fully immersed in performing at KBB “felt amazing”.
“It gave us a moment to stop and enjoy the music we made while still having fun.”
Further south in Rotorua, school choir Ngā Reo o Kaitāia also won silver at the North Island finals of the National Big Sing Secondary Schools Competition held on August 14 and 15.
The Big Sing is the country’s largest choral event and has been running for longer than 30 years.
It was only the Ngā Reo o Kaitāia’s second time entering the competition, in which they faced 11 other choirs chosen from Wellington, Rotorua, Waikato and 69 groups which competed in the Auckland regionals.
Dr Opeloge Ah Sam, who heads up performing and visual arts at the college, is the Jazz Waka group’s director and choir’s conductor.
Ah Sam said students had been so busy that preparation time was limited to just four weeks leading up to the competitions.
“Most of the work we did in class and during lunch breaks.”
Other school commitments and student illness added to the challenge of securing rehearsal time, “so they did great considering”.
Ah Sam described the joy of watching students grow through their craft, and learning first-hand the opportunities afforded by a commitment to music.
“It’s great seeing our kids grow through music and realise that there is a world beyond Kaitāia where their talents can lead them to career opportunities and travel the world.”
The Samoan composer and pianist, who also plays drums, trumpet, percussion and double bass, said he would support students in turning their passions into careers.
“I’ve taken several students to Auckland to play in professional shows with me to expose them and gain experience.
“And I will certainly be trying to connect them to as many opportunities as I can using the many connections I made as a musician in Auckland and overseas to give my students possible career pathways.”
Next month, the group will travel to Samoa to perform six concerts in seven days as Ngā Reo o Kaitāia alongside the Samoa Police Band and the National University of Samoa’s choir of 108 students.