4 minute read
Top arts achievers
is something we can get motivated for, as well as something that we can use to relax. There is also something unique in the bond that forms between members of our arts groups, and the feeling of us growing and improving together throughout the year is not only rewarding but also an absolute highlight of participating in the arts.
How do you balance your busy schedules?
Time management is key! As long as we have planned and noted important dates for both schoolwork and extracurricular activities, we are able to balance things nicely. The School is also great at ensuring that we are not over-committed, and the staff are always there to assist, guide and help if and when needed. They are particularly mindful of when we have assessments, and supportive during these periods.
What’s your vision for the arts at Dio this year?
This year is going to be such an exciting one especially with the opening of the Dio Arts Centre. We have decided that the theme for this year’s Arts Council is Tuwhera, which means to be open and we are excited to make the arts more accessible through this vision in 2020. Our goal is to reinforce the positive environment in the arts, to be welcoming and to encourage everyone to get involved. Through this, we want to explore what it means to be openminded, open to new ideas and open to developing ourselves as performers and artists. The addition of our beautiful new theatre will have a huge impact on the arts at Dio, and we really want everyone to feel that they are part of this big moment in our School’s history.
Left to right: Hazel Francis, Chielin Xu, Charli Collard and Hannah Flacks.
CELEBRATING OUR SINGERS
Four Year 13 students, Hazel Francis, Hannah Flacks, Chielin Xu and Charli Collard successfully auditioned for the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir at the end of 2018. This is a huge achievement, as this choir is chosen bi-annually through a tough audition process across the country.
Rehearsing since 2019, this national choral programme has seen its participants from around the country meet for a total of four courses across a two-year period. The last week of this year’s January school holidays was NZSSC’s final week of singing, rehearsing and performing – this time in Hawke’s Bay – in preparation for the choir’s international tour to Europe in April.
Sadly, the tour was unable to go ahead, but we would like to commend our singers on their level of commitment and dedication; many weeks of rehearsals and concerts have gone into making this national choir the esteemed ensemble it is. We are also very proud that Dio’s Director of Choirs, Rachel Sutherland, is the Assistant Director and Vocal Consultant for this ensemble and are confident that we will have the opportunity to hear NZSSC 2019/2020 perform in the near future.
NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS FOR TALENTED DIO MUSICIANS
Year 12 flautist Helen Kim has not only been successful in her audition for this year’s New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Orchestra, but has also been appointed as co-principal flute, a wonderful achievement.
Another talented Year 12 student to be accepted into this prestigious ensemble is trumpeter Jessica Marshall. She will join Helen in representing Diocesan at a week-long intensive course held in Christchurch. The course offers its young musicians the opportunity to participate in a variety of practical sessions and is a significant training ground for young players aspiring to become professional musicians. The course culminates in two public performances of symphonic works, and this year will be conducted by renowned female conductor Natalia Raspopova.
Jessica also successfully auditioned for this year’s New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds – New Zealand’s premiere concert band for young people aged between 16 and 24. Directed by Australian conductor and mentor Dr Kevin Cameron, this national ensemble holds week-long intensive courses and concerts in Auckland in January and in Wellington in July. It is a great achievement to be accepted into such a prestigious programme for talented musicians.
We are very proud of these girls and wish them every success this year.
Emma Qiu (left) and Zoe Zhu (right).
ATCL DIPLOMAS
At the end of 2019 we had four ATCL (Associate Trinity College London) diplomas attained by students at Diocesan; Lauren Dunne and Olivia Maxwell for speech and drama, and Emma Qiu and Zoe Zhu for music. Emma achieved ‘distinction’, an incredible result for our (then) Year 12 student.
Emma and Zoe agree that this qualification has opened up so many new avenues, from performance through to teaching opportunities both privately and as part of a Music Education Centre. It has also assisted them in gaining confidence and recognition as young musicians, introducing them to a world of other music genres such as jazz and blues, and has equipped them with the necessary musical tools to become professional musicians.
