A packed programme of performances, awards and exhibitions has kept Motueka High School’s arts department busy, with students excelling on stage and in the studio.
Public performances at Te Noninga Kumu-Motueka District Library in May marked New Zealand Music Month, with instrumentalists, vocalists and the Suono Bellissimo choir showcasing work ahead of their Big Sing appearance in Nelson.
Students also impressed at the Shakespeare Festival at Nayland College, earning a strong set of results. Estella Archer won Best Student Director and Most Imaginative Production for her 15-minute scene, which also took out Best Example of a Team Performance.
Wainui Nikora received the Sustained Vocal Management Award, while Jake Barnett, William Bartholomew and Mason Brenchley, supported by Ticia Frondarina, won Best History Scene.
Arts captains have kept momentum high, leading rehearsals for the upcoming MADD (Music, Art, Dance and Drama) production as well as running lunchtime karaoke sessions while the weather held.
Visual arts students found further inspiration at May’s Top Art exhibition at The Suter Gallery, which features outstanding NCEA Level 3 and Scholarship portfolios from across New Zealand.
The annual primary school music tour also took students into the community, visiting Tasman, Parklands, Brooklyn and Ngātīmoti schools.
Jennifer Currie and Paul Crofskey, with a complex piano performance, took out the star prize, showcasing the depth of talent across the school. Earlier that week, Year 11 students opened their art exhibition in the school foyer, giving the community a chance to see their latest work.
The busy schedule continues into next term, with dance students preparing for two major performances – Momentum and the inter-school VAST festival, both expected to draw strong support.
Music students are also set for a highlight, taking part in a two-day mentoring workshop with Joel Shadbolt, frontman of the nationally-renowned reggae band L.A.B. The sessions will focus on songwriting, instrumental skills and live performance, offering valuable industry insight as the arts calendar builds into another full term.
