Arts News Term 1, Week 3

CELEBRATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Briar Sharp Y10 was invited to sing in the NZ showcase on stage in Tamworth ( Australia) as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival (an annual event - Tamworth Country Music Festival - see Facebook). It’s a big deal over there, and Keith Urban was there, too!

While there, she also won the vocal section of the Fretfest original song competition with two songs that she wrote and performed. It was very unexpected, and as a result, she won a beautiful black guitar!

What an achievement. Congratulations to Briar.

Lily Cook, Year 13, is celebrating having her photography selected by Air NZ. Here’s how it happened:

After school, I drove to Christchurch Airport and watched some planes departing in the evening. Some were international departures to Australia, and some were smaller domestic flights. This ATR (one of Air NZ's smaller aircraft) is taking off at sunset in the evening. 

This was taken in early August of 2024. I was later approached in mid-September out of the blue by the social media team of Air NZ on Instagram and they asked me if they could include this specific image in their national inflight magazine! It was featured in the October issue of their Kia Ora magazine. 

On a weekend in late August, I approached the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) media department and asked them if I could take pictures for them to use in their printed media. They asked me for pictures of an aerodrome with some flying action, so I went to the Rangiora Aerodrome as it's my local aerodrome. There were quite a few small aircraft practising landing and taking off in a slight crosswind, as well as an air tractor (also known as AT-602) refuelling outside a hangar. 

I returned to the CAA with a series of photos, including photos of the mountain range, wind socks, and various aerodromes. They really liked these specific two, and one became the cover of an upcoming GAP booklet to be published and delivered to aero clubs all over New Zealand. The other is featured midway through the brochure, totalling three images advertised. 

Well done to Lily with her impressive skills and entrepreneurialism.

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

Stella Lee, Year 5, has exciting news to share.

During the summer holiday, Stella went to Showcase Australian Dance Championships which was held in the Gold Coast. This is the biggest dance competition in Australia since 1994. 

She competed a whole week alongside many outstanding and inspiring dancers and received the following results for her solos:

Classical Ballet National Champion
Musical Theatre National Champion
Lyrical Runner Up National Champion
Top 10 Dance of the Year
Superstar Awards 2nd place
Overall Highest Soloist 3rd place

Her group dances also gained:
Musical Theatre National Champion
Lyrical Runner Up National Champion
Jazz Runner Up National Champion

Well done to Stella with her many awards.

TREADING THE BOARDS

There are quite a few students taking part in various productions at the moment.

Triple achievement for Y 10  Tessa de Wit, who has just been cast in her fourth show simultaneously (she is in Ovation’s Music Man, Christ’s College Shakespeare fest Hamlet and Court Theatre’s Spongebob Squarepants), this time in the lead role of Maria in Enchanting Productions Sound of Music. Well done, Tessa. That’s awesome news. 

Sadhbh (Sam) O’Neill is currently performing in the Top Dog Theatre production of Richard 111 at Mona Vale, which ends this Saturday. There’s still time to book!

Rose Martin, Y10, got Mother Abbess as one of the two casts in The Sound of Music with Enchanting Productions.

Cordelia Jones, Libby Foulds and Maia Homer will be performing in Music Man with Ovation Productions.

Scarlett Gardner, Matilda Abbott, and Phoebe Jones are performing in the musical Spongebob Squarepants at the Court Theatre, which is coming soon.

Emily Chambers has completed the CAS experience as Stage Manager for Mary Poppins.

CHOIR SUCCESS

Rose Martin (Y10), Amanda Yang and Matilda Abbott successfully auditioned for the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir for 2025. Congratulations to all girls.

VISUAL ART

Stepping Backwards into the Future: A Creative Hikoi for Year 11 Visual Art

"Ka Mua Ka Muri" – "Walking backwards into the future." This whakataukī captures the essence of how nurturing and sharing cultural knowledge and practices of the past can enrich our present and shape our future.

Our Year 11 Visual Art students experienced this firsthand on Monday, February 3rd, during a vibrant cultural hikoi exploring the history and cultural narrative of our local area. Their journey began at the Little Hagley Park, a site steeped with historical significance. Here, the students reflected on the past and then immersed themselves in the present-day site, capturing its essence through observational drawings, frottage, and photographs. It was inspiring to see our young artists with sketchbooks in hand, embracing creativity beyond the traditional classroom walls!

After morning tea at the Arts Centre, the group strolled down to the Christchurch Art Gallery - Te Puna o Waiwhetū, to explore the captivating exhibition, ‘He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil’. This expansive display illustrates the fundamental role of whenua (land) in shaping the visual language and identity of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The students were then fortunate to experience the joy of ‘Wharenui Harikoa - House of Joy’ at COCA. This amazing, full-sized wharenui (meeting house), hand-crocheted from 5,000 brightly coloured balls of wool, is a testament to creativity and community.

Returning to school after this action-packed morning, our Year 11 artists were full of inspiration and a wealth of visual information. These experiences will form the foundation for their first artworks of the year. Well done to our Year 11 Visual Artists; we are excited to see what you create!

SGCNZ INFORMATION

In association with SGCNZ’s annual Festivals, there are six nationwide competitions. These are an opportunity to try something new and stretch your creative wings in the fields of art, music and design!

Download the entry forms below:

Information and Entry forms for the 2025 competitions:

SGCNZ/Dawn Sanders Shakespeare Costume Design Competition Entry Form

SGCNZ/Morrison Music Trust Shakespeare Music Composition Competition Entry Form

SGCNZ/Adam Foundation Shakespeare Static Image Competition Entry Form

SGCNZ/Adam Foundation Shakespeare Poster Competition Entry Form

SGCNZ/Adam Foundation Shakespeare Video Title Card Competition Entry Form

SGCNZ/Ida Gaskin Shakespeare Essay Competition With English At Otago Entry Form

All finalists win monetary prizes, presented at the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Festival Award Ceremony on the Sunday of King’s Birthday weekend at 7.00pm, the opportunity to attend workshops at the National Festival – and more…

All competitions have NCEA assessable components and Costume and Static Image winners have their work exhibited in the Globe Exhibition in Shakespeare’s Globe, London, for approx 6 weeks. All entrants must be a SGCNZ Friend– either personally or through their school or Home School cluster.

Placed items can go towards achievements for Pockets and Honours. 

There are many arts activities for the girls to participate in this year. Here’s a link to the Timetable

Co-Curricular Arts Timetable 2025

Outside Promotional Material

SOLE Music Academy is a dedicated space for aspiring musicians and creatives to develop their talents and build a strong foundation in music.

The Academy offers pathways for students of all skill levels to explore and refine their passion for music through:

Singing & Vocal Lessons: Build confidence and develop vocal techniques.

Guitar: Learn the essentials or advance to the next level.

Songwriting & Production: Explore music theory, songwriting, and modern production methods.

They also provide a variety of courses and workshops designed to equip students with skills and knowledge to further their musical journey.

They aim to connect with school communities to inspire and support students with a passion for music and nurture the next generation of musical talent.

LUMINAIRES is thrilled to be offering after school acting and singing workshops again this year for young people aged up to 25 years old in combined age classes.

(or alternatively use one of the jpgs attached), or pass on to students as you see fit?

Luminaires Term 1 Workshops 2025:

For ages 8+    St Alban’s Primary School Hall 

Thursdays 13 February to 10 April  + Showcase Saturday 12 April

Acting 4-5.15pm / Singing 5.30-6.30pm

$150 ($120 CSC)  15% discount if you sign up for both  (Scholarships Available)

Register at https://forms.gle/kZBjsyy4GSC65yDb8

Email luminairescharitabletrust@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/LuminairesCharitableTrust

https://www.instagram.com/luminairescharitabletrust/

https://www.tiktok.com/@luminairesct

ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL is excited to share information about our Arts Champions programme, designed for rangatahi (youth) aged 16-24 in Ōtautahi, offering them a unique and free opportunity to engage deeply with the performing arts.

About the Programme:

Arts Champions runs from February to November 2025 and includes:

Live Performances and Workshops: Students will experience a variety of theatre, dance, and music performances and participate in hands-on workshops.

Professional Talks: Insights from industry experts working in diverse roles within the performing arts sector.

Personalised Mentoring: Opportunities to access mentorship in specific areas of interest.

Skill Development: Enhancing abilities in review writing and critical analysis.

The programme kicks off by attending In Other Words together on the evening of Thursday, 13 March, we meet monthly, the day of the week and time will change, and we understand some people will not be able to make every event. We want to create a dynamic programme that shares the skills, talents and insights of the touring arts scene that utilises the Isaac Theatre Royal and share that with passionate rangatahi.  

If you are interested:

We are seeking applications from secondary students from across the motu who have a passion for the performing arts and would benefit from this enriching experience. Participation in the core programme (workshops and some performances) is free, and at times, we may offer special offers and discounted tickets to certain performances. 

Application Process:

Interested students can apply by completing the application form available HERE.  The deadlinefor applications is Monday, 17 February. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.