Cultural catch up – August 2025

Arts Competition

Mac Simpson (Year 7) competed with 100 other talented young singers and received a first place (own selection), first equal (novice), and second place in musical theatre at the Illuminate 2025 Centre Stage Rolleston Arts Competition.

Ballroom Dancing

Holly Hembry (Year 10) danced in 31 events at the New Zealand One Dance Championships in Wellington, where she won 24 Junior Registered events, as well as coming second in another four. Additionally, in the Adult Open Latin events, Holly claimed three third places. Holly also took part in the Kiwi Classic Ballroom Dance Championships in Auckland, where she won six of the Pro/Am Junior Level 5 events. In the Junior Registered solo events, she made six of nine finals, winning third, fourth, and fifth placings.

Big Sing

At The Big Sing Regional Competition at the Town Hall, Staccoro, our senior choir, made up of students from

Years 11–13, delivered a captivating recital which earned them the award for Best Mixed Choir. A highlight was the moving rendition of Christchurch composer Rosa Elliott’s, Ojalá, which featured instrumental contributions from Ary Son (Year 11) and Edward Park (Year 9). The junior choir, Stacchorus, comprising Year 9–10 students, also gave a memorable performance, with a standout moment their joyful interpretation of Philip Norman’s setting of Margaret Mahy’s Tarragon Vinegar, complete with kazoos.

Chamber Music

At the 2025 Canterbury District round of the NZCT Schools' Chamber Music Contest, the Preparatory School chamber group, Cucumbers, comprising Caleb Waines (Year 7), Matthew Zhang and Chenxiao (Leo) Yang (both Year 8), won the Adjudicators' Award, with Terenced Dynamics, comprising Baizhen (Tony) Chen (Year 9) on violin, Xinyi (Alicia) Chen (Year 11) on the oboe, and Hao Bo (Terence) Yang (Year 10) on piano, winning the New Zealand Double Reed Society Award for their playing of a J S Bach concerto.

Choral Concert

St Andrew’s Music students performed in the annual choral concert at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, with performances from Staccoro, Stacchorus, the Senior Barbershop, and chamber ensemble "AAA Insurance". The recital culminated in two pieces by the combined choirs. The programme offered a rich variety of repertoire, from contemporary New Zealand compositions to classic barbershop and chamber music. It was a wonderful opportunity for the choirs to share their Big Sing repertoire in such a beautiful and acoustically resonant space.

Classical Concert

The annual Classical Concert was a wonderful showcase of work by the College's orchestral ensembles. This year the concert included performances from the Preparatory School Orchestra (conducted by Music teacher, Ros Emeleus), and String Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, and Chamber Orchestra (all conducted by Mark Hodgkinson). The groups gained valuable experience performing their pieces in front of a large audience, with their excellent performances warmly appreciated. The Classical Concert also provided St Andrew’s chamber groups with a performance opportunity ahead of their participation in the NZCT Schools Chamber Music Contest.

Dance

Following her performance at the Relevé Dance Competition, Tavé Stuart (Year 13) received a nomination for the PACANZ Young Performer Awards in Palmerston North in October for modern dance. She placed first in classical championship, classical, first variation, neo-classical, musical theatre, contemporary, and lyrical, was first equal in barefoot, and second in modern championship.

At the Christchurch Tap Dancing Teachers Association (CTDTA) dance competition, Tavé Stuart was first in Ballet Championship and Classical, and second in Barefoot and Variation. Cameron Lyons (Year 10) was second in the Ballet Championship.

Festival Poster Competition

Andrew Li (Year 8) won the 2025 Lions Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival poster competition. His artwork will be used to promote this year’s festival and will be featured on the event poster and front cover of the programme.

Highland Dancing

St Andrew’s students had wonderful success at the New Zealand Highland Dancing Championships held in Christchurch from 2–5 July with several gaining national titles and rankings against 240 competitors from throughout the country. Sarah McCarthy (Year 10) was the top performer, winning six individual New Zealand Championships, and being crowned overall New Zealand National Champion U16.

• Charlotte Kyle (Year 12): eighth national ranking U18;

• Samantha Bilton (Year 11): ninth national ranking U18;

• Sarah McCarthy (Year 10): New Zealand Champion U16, winners of six New Zealand Championships in Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Reel O’Tulloch, Irish Jig Single Time, Irish Jig Double Time, Irish Reel;

• Sofia Sneddon (Year 8): runner-up national champion U14;

• Georgia Gregg (Year 8): national champion in 12 and U14 Sean Triubhas;

• Iaera Abrahamson (Year 5): runner up national champion U10;

• Nayana Abrahamson (Year 3): third national ranking.

At the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (RSOBHD) New Zealand nationals in Taranaki Aoife Forsyth (Year 8) achieved third overall, with two first-place finishes, a second, a third, five fourths, and one fifth place.

Sarah McCarthy (Year 10) had a successful time at the Top of the South Highland Dancing Championships in Blenheim, winning all 10 Marlborough/Nelson Championship U16 events and finishing as the Overall U16 Champion.

At the Hawke’s Bay Easter Highland Gathering, Samantha Bilton (Year 11) competed in the U16 events, winning a North Island Championship in the Highland Fling, and finishing runner-up Most Points over the two-day event.

New Zealand Academy of Highland and National Dancing Examinations

St Andrew’s Highland dancers achieved great results in these national dancing examinations:

• Initial Honours: Nayana Abrahamson, Alissa Alborough, Eleanor Nortje (all Year 3), Iselle Bromhead (Year 4); Initial Merit Plus: Brooklyn Van Toor (Year 3), Watson Winterbourn (Year 2); Initial Merit: Ruby Bradbury, Sibella Street (both Year 3); Achieved: Ava Blyde (Year 4);

• Grade 1 Honours: Iaera Abrahamson, Violet Winterbourn (both Year 5); Grade 1 Merit Plus: Emily Syme (Year 5);

• Grade 2 Honours: Adelyn Abrahamson (Year 7); Grade 2 Merit: Agnes Buist (Year 6); Grade 2 Achieved Plus: Patrick Glover (Year 7);

• Grade 3 Honours: Georgia Gregg (Year 8);

• Grade 4 Honours: Evelyn Lowe (Year 9);

• Grade 5 Honours: Sarah McCarthy (Year 10); Grade 5 Merit Plus: Alice Glover (Year 9);

• Intermediate Honours Practical and Theory: Samantha Bilton (Year 11), Emily Brook, Charlotte Kyle (both Year 12);

• Sailors Stage 1 Honours: Sofia Sneddon (Year 8).

The Abrahamson sisters, Nayana (Year 3), Iaera (Year 5) and Adelyn (Year 7), have had strong success, winning several events and championships between them at the Otago Centre King’s Birthday Highland Dance Competition in Dunedin and the Ashburton Highland Dancing Competition.

Georgia Gregg (Year 8) competed at the Oxford Highland Dance Competition where she won all her dance categories along with two U14 and one U16 event. She also won Most Points U14 at the Hokitika Highland Matariki Competition. At the Oxford competition, Eleanor Nortje (Year 3) had two first and two third placings.

Jazz Band

Both our senior and junior jazz bands have been selected for the prestigious Rodger Fox Big Band Young Jazz Band-it competition in Wellington, out of only ten bands chosen nationwide. Their impressive video auditions earned them a spot, and they’ll also be competing in the MEFA competition.

Jazzquest

The Senior Jazz Combo delivered a great set of four songs from memory at the Ara JazzQuest competition, where they won a Gold category award.

Music

Ethan Waines (Year 9) passed his LTCL Live Piano examination with Distinction.

The following Preparatory School students successfully auditioned for representative groups in the 2025 Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival:

• Symphony Orchestra: Youzhen (Max) Chen (Year 5), Raymen Dai, Dylan Liu (both Year 6), Caleb Waines (Year 7), Emma Zhang, Jacob Wang, Chenxiao (Leo) Yang and Matthew Zhang (all Year 8);

• Concert Band: Claire Chua (Year 6);

• Senior Representative Choir: Alice Williams, Jessica Whitehead and Ruby Richards (all Year 7) and XiaoYa (Cynthia) Zhou (Year 8);

• Junior Representative Choir: Choe Shi, Iaera Abrahamson, Violet Winterbourn (all Year 5), Romilly Comyn and Harriet Merry (both Year 6).

Music Performance Evening

The Music Department hosted a special evening featuring 20 singing students who are not NCEA students, and don’t usually have an opportunity to perform. Vocal tutor, Deb Wai Kapohe, organised the evening, which was well supported by parents, caregivers, and students, who provided an encouraging and supportive audience for the singers, some who were singing in public for the first time.

Music Concert – Preparatory School

The Preparatory School presented a concert of music items in the Centennial Chapel on Tuesday 24 June. The concert featured the Junior Choir (Years 3–5), Cantare Choir (Years 6–8), Preparatory School Orchestra, chamber group trio, and solo items by Music scholars, Chenxiao (Leo) Yang (Year 8) and Caleb Waines (Year 7). The evening showcased a range of talent, and the performers supported each other with enthusiastic applause. A supportive audience of parents and families thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

Opera

Samuel Hu (Year 10) was selected for the children’s chorus for New Zealand Opera’s, La Bohème.

Orchestra

Cheryl Teng (Year 11) accepted an opportunity to participate as an orchestral instrumentalist in the 2025 New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s Emerging Artists concert.

Baizhen (Tony) Chen (Year 9) successfully auditioned for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s soloist programme. As a result, he was offered the opportunity to perform as a featured soloist at A Night of Proms in October.

Oamaru Performing Arts Festival

In the Speech and Drama section at the 2025 Oamaru Performing Arts Festival, Teresa Steiner (Year 12) won the Oamaru National Young Performers Speech and Drama nomination to the PACANZ Nationals at Labour Weekend, while Violet Winterbourn (Year 5) and Adelyn Abrahamson (Year 7) were joint winners of the John McDonald Challenge Cup in the 12 and Under category, and shared honours for the E D Watts Memorial Challenge Cup. Violet also won the Elliot Challenge Cup for Girls, and the scholarship for her age group. Violet also had success in the festival’s Highland Dancing competition, winning the U10 and U12 Sailors Hornpipe Championships. Her brother, Watson Winterbourn (Year 2) won the Highland Fling Six years and Under, and was awarded the J R Hornal Challenge Cup.

The newly created StAC Dance competition team also competed at the Oamaru Performing Arts Festival in their inaugural performance.

Pipe Band

Pipe Band students were honoured to perform in various Anzac Day services and parades throughout the South Island – at St Andrew's College, Akaroa, Arrowtown, Avebury House, Burlington Village, Burwood Hospital, Cavendish Home, Leeston, Mountainview Village (Timaru), Twizel, and Victoria Park.

The Pipe Band, led by Pipe Major Sam Foote (Year 12), supported the BrainTree Ball fundraiser by performing at the beginning of the event, held at Te Pae Convention Centre. BrainTree Trust is a charity which supports people living with neurological conditions.

Maggie McConnochie (Year 11) and Sam Foote (Year 12) travelled to Adelaide to compete in the annual R U Brown Piobaireachd Society of South Australia Gold Medal solo piping competitions, where they achieved fantastic success in strong fields of competitors. Maggie won the R U Brown Silver Medal for Piobaireachd and overall B Grade Light Music, and Sam won the B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel.

Pipe Band members have competed in several competitions throughout 2025, with results as follows:

The Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Association Oceania Solo Drumming Championships

In conjunction with the Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Association, the Oceania Solo Drumming Championships 2025 were held in the Rangi Ruru Girls’ School Auditorium on Saturday 5 April, with several students performing incredibly well to become Oceania champions. Results were:

• Connor Higgs Memorial Juvenile Section 5 March, Strathspey and Reel (Age 16–18): Ethan Higgs (Year 13) first Oceania Champion, Daniel Liu (Year 12) second, Theodore Lagias (Year 13) third, Jack Shearer (Year 12) fourth;

• Juvenile Section 4 March, Strathspey and Reel (Age 14–16): Ethan Lam (Year 12) first Oceania Champion, Lee Patterson (Year 12) fourth, Yuxin (Alice) Chen (Year 11) fifth, Radha Gamble (Year 11) sixth;

• Juvenile Section 3 March, Strathspey and Reel (Age 11–14): Edward Park (Year 9) second;

• Juvenile Section 2 Marches (Age 14–16): Oliver Gilbert (Year 10) first Oceania Champion, Samuel Gough (Year 11) second, Samuel Hall (Year 12) fourth;

• Juvenile Section 1 Marches (Age 11–14): Hunter Donnithorne (Year 8) first Oceania Champion, Benjamin Edward (Year 9) second.

Hawke’s Bay Easter Highland Gathering

The Hawke’s Bay Easter Highland Gathering took place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April and is one of the major events in the solo piping calendar. Top results were:

• Sam Foote (Year 12): second B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel, second U21 Piobaireachd – New Zealand Championship, second U12 Strathspey/Reel, second Medley;

• Maggie McConnochie (Year 11) third B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel, second 2/4 March, second Strathspey/Reel, first 6/8 March, first Medley;

• Alice Glover (Year 9): fourth C Grade Piobaireachd;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 10): first C Grade Strathspey/Reel, third 2/4 March, first D Grade Piobaireachd, third 2/4 March;

• Hamish Bilton (Year 10): third C Grade Strathspey/Reel, second 6/8 March;

• Patrick Glover (Year 7): second Novice Piobaireachd, third March.

127th MacKenzie A&P Highland Show – Easter Monday

First placegetters at this event were:

• Cameron Sharpe (Year 11): first in C Grade Piobaireachd, 2/4 March (Mackenzie Highland Show Medal), Strathspey/Reel, Hornpipe/Jig, 6/8 March, and winner of Most Points C Grade;

• Benjamin Carline (Year 7): first D Grade Piobaireachd, first Novice March;

• Nathaniel Jones (Year 8): first D Grade 2/4 March;

• Emily Syme (Year 5): first Beginner Chanter.

King’s Birthday Solo Piping Championships

Top three placegetters in the A Grade, B Grade, and Under 21 Grade, and first placegetters in C Grade, D Grade, and Under 16 at the King’s Birthday Solo Piping Championships were:

• Sam Foote (Year 12): second A Grade/Open Dunedin Gold Medal Piobaireachd, third equal Otago Centre Qualifying March Strathspey and Reel, winner B Grade Silver Medal Piobaireachd Otago Championship, first Strathspey/Reel, winner of Most Points B Grade;

• Maggie McConnochie (Year 11): third equal A Grade/Open Otago Centre Qualifying March Strathspey and Reel, second B Grade Silver Medal Piobaireachd, second 2/4 March, second 6/8 March, first Under 21 2/4 March Otago Championship;

• Cooper Gallagher (Year 13): third B Grade Hornpipe/Jig, third Under 21 Hornpipe Jig New Zealand Championship;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 10): first C Grade Piobaireachd, first D Grade Piobaireachd, first 6/8 March, winner of Most Points D Grade;

• Anthony Song (Year 10): first C Grade 2/4 March, first Under 16 2/4 March, winner Most Points Under 16;

• Cameron Sharpe (Year 11): first C Grade Hornpipe/Jig, first 6/8 March, winner Most Points C Grade;

• Ryley Medland (Year 12): first D Grade 2/4 March Otago Championship;

• Patrick Glover (Year 7): youngest competitor in Piobaireachd.

Highland Piping Society of Canterbury Solo Piping Event

First placegetters at this event were:

• Sam Foote (Year 12): first B Grade Piobaireachd, 2/4 March, Strathspey and Reel;

• Finlay Trewinnard (Year 10): first C Grade Piobaireachd, Strathspey and Reel, first D Grade 2/4 March;

• Hamish Bilton (Year 10): first C Grade 2/4 March;

• Aidan Jia (Year 7): first Novice;

• Emily Syme (Year 5): first Practice Chanter.

Canterbury Drummers Club Autumn Solo Event

First placegetters at this event were:

• Yuxin (Alice) Chen (Year 11): first D Grade 2/4 March;

• Edward Park (Year 9): first D Grade Strathspey and Reel;

• Hunter Donnithorne (Year 8): first D Grade Aggregate;

• Samuel Rijpma (Year 7): first Novice Drum;

• Samuel Carline (Year 6): first Novice Drum Pad;

• Ruolin (Lauren) Li (Year 11): Intermediate Tenor Drumming first March, Strathspey and Reel;

• Ewen Li (Year 10): first Intermediate Tenor Drumming, first Novice Tenor Drumming;

• Austin Paterson (Year 11): Intermediate Bass Drumming first March, Strathspey and Reel, Novice Bass Drumming.

Rockquest

Nine College rock bands performed exceptionally well in the Smokefree Rockquest Canterbury Heats. Three bands, Whiplash, Lies and Lullabies, and Mendacity were selected for the regional finals, which gave them just a week-and-a-half to write another song and put together a two-song set. They all put on great performances, with Lies and Lullabies, comprising Evelyn Lowe, Mason Gauld, Reef Fitzpatrick and Joseph Soon (all Year 9) winning the ZM award for Best Song.

Theatre

A small group of students successfully auditioned for the National Youth Theatre production of the musical, Cats, which ran in late May. The students involved in this "youth" version of the show were Annie Young (Year 12) in a lead role as Bombalurina (cast one), Piper Stone (Year 11) as Bombalurina (cast two) and Isla Marshall (Year 9) as Mungojerrie (cast two). These students, as well as Ella Nortje (Year 3), Emily Brook (Year 12) and Sophie Jacobs (Year 7) were also in the Dance Extension group, while Penelope Walker (Year 3) was a member of the ensemble.

Year 10 Music Concert

The Year 10 Music class held a concert in the Gough Family Theatre, featuring singer/songwriters, a classical ensemble, a musical theatre ensemble, and several rock and band items. The evening was a wonderful celebration of the students’ work.

Year 12 Photo Challenge

Year 12 students embraced a photo challenge during Term 2, when they were asked to submit photos showcasing specific themes and starring the letters of their core classes. The most popular theme was "selfie with a staff member," where Principal of Secondary School, Evert van Florenstein, was a popular choice. Core class R, made up of teachers, Steve Aldhamland’s and Jo Bigford-Fleming’s tutor groups, were crowned the winners.