KBB Music Festival triumphs

Our talented musicians have returned from this year's KBB Music Festival with an outstanding haul of awards, showcasing the excellence of our performing arts programme.

Held in St Mary's, within the majestic Holy Trinity Cathedral complex, the festival brought together school ensembles from across the region to compete at the highest level.

Our Big Band and Chamber Ensemble were both awarded Gold, while our Orchestra earned a Bronze award. Big Band was also selected to perform at the prestigious Gala Concert, an honour reserved for the top four school ensembles at the festival. Trumpet player Teau Latu (Year 12) and contrabassoonist Louis de Biasio (Year 12) were selected for the KBB Music Festival Honours Orchestra, while tenor saxophonist Rose Elijas (Year 13) was selected for the KBB Music Festival Honours Jazz band.

Head of Department for Music Miss Hewitt praised the students' commitment and hard work leading up to the event.

"These are incredible achievements that reflect not only their musical ability, but also the perseverance, discipline, and teamwork they demonstrated throughout months of preparation."

For many students, like one of Big Band's saxophonists Cole Utumapu, the festival offers a range of opportunities for growth.

"It's fantastic going on trips to competitions, hearing great music, and meeting great people," shared Cole, who is a graduate of Jazz Academy. "I've made a lot of friends, and rivals, from other schools across the country who have pushed me to become a better musician. I honestly didn't expect us to get a Gold award, so it was a really pleasant surprise."

Congratulations to all of our performers on these remarkable results!