Cultural catch up

The St Andrew's Pipe Band.

Ballet The new Ballet subject option is now in its second year and proving very popular. The first group of Year 9 students who started in 2015 have moved into the new Year 10 programme and can achieve NCEA Dance Level 1 credits within the course. This year’s ballet students have been fortunate to enjoy tutoring from guests including Pagan Dorgan (Royal New Zealand Ballet), Sandy Gray (Chant et Danse), Katie Hurst-Saxon (Victoria State Ballet) and Old Collegian Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson (2013) when he was home on spring break from Juilliard (New York). While the courses concentrate on ballet (with a strong technique and artistic focus under the direction of Dr Cairns) other

2015 Year 9 Ballet class with Royal New Zealand Ballet guest tutor Pagan Dorgan.

genres such as lyrical, national, contemporary, and jazz are introduced to extend the range of knowledge and broaden the dancers’ abilities.

Choir Joshua Pike (Year 13) was selected as a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir, which will tour Canada and attend the International Kathaumixw Choral Festival in June/ July. The choir programme includes a performance in Parliament, CD recording and public concert, as well as a performance at the nationally televised ANZAC Day service at the Pukeahu National War Memorial.

Dance Kate Holmes (Year 9, Ballet subject option) has been accepted into the prestigious New Zealand School of Dance 'Scholar' programme for 2016. Selection is via a highly competitive audition process – held right across New Zealand. Chosen as potential future classical ballerinas, the dancers travel to Wellington to attend masterclasses over a series of weekends. Each year they must re-apply to continue with this elite group. Meg Stuthridge (Year 12) is also part of this programme, as an 'Associate' in Contemporary Ballet Debating Our talented StAC team continued its impressive form over the last five years in the Canterbury Regional Debating competition, finishing runners up for 2016. Congratulations to Harrison Smith (Year 13) who was named captain of the Canterbury Regional Squad and will go on to compete at a national level, Isabella Garbett (Year 13) who was named as a reserve for this team, and April Oakley (Year 13) who was awarded Highly Commended for her debating. Pipe Band St Andrew’s College had 57 students competing at the nationals in Feilding. After two days of competition it was thrilling for both Bands to be named as winners of their respective grades – B Band in Grade 4B (first time ever) and A Band in Grade 2 (for the third successive year). The A band were also winners of the Juvenile section (tenth year in a row). It was simply an outstanding success and we are so proud of our Pipe Band students. Special thanks and congratulations to all our tutors and staff members involved.

The Canterbury Caledonian Band, of which Richard Hawke is Pipe Major and includes our tutors and many Old Collegians, were named as winners of Grade 1 for the fifth year in a row. Of the 41 in the Caledonian Band, 22 are StAC Old Cols or StAC Band tutors. Included in these numbers are eight former StAC Pipe Majors.

Wanted - Pipe Band Memorabilia!

The St Andrew’s College Pipe Band will celebrate its Centenary in 2019 and plans are underway to ensure this is a very special occasion for the Pipe Band community. We are currently seeking items showcasing Pipe Band history over the decades. In particular we are keen to acquire: • old video footage of Pipe Band, especially at significant events; • old recordings, especially if in concert; • old still photographs of significant competitions or events; • Pipe Band artefacts (loan only to photograph). If you have something to donate, or would like to discuss an item of interest, please contact Museum Curator Alexandra Callaghan on 03 940-2000 or museum@stac.school.nz.

Poetry Three Preparatory School students had their poems published on the New Zealand Poetry Box website. Megan Simpson (Year 5): 'Deep Dark Caves', Rylee McBride (Year 4): 'Bird' and Pieta Bayley (Year 6): 'Feline Frolics'.

SGCNZ Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Schools The College’s three casts in the Sheilah Winn competition all won awards following their recent performances. Nicholas Cain (Year 12), Courtney Johnson (Year 13), Cameron McHugh (Year 13), and Samantha Deller (Year 13 – Director), received an award for Best Characterisation for Romeo and Juliet Act IV, Sc i; Paris Porter (Year 12), Joshua Cammock-Elliot (Year 11), Grace Dephoff (Year 12), and William Harrington (Year 13 – Director) won an award for Outstanding Stylistic Choreography and Vision for The Tempest Act II, Sc ii; and Haotian Yu (Year 12), Rosa Garcia Knight (Year 12), Nicholas Cain (Year 12), William Thomas (Year 13) and Oliver Withers (Year 13 – Director) received an award for Creative Use of Staging for Hamlet Act III, Sc iv.

Theatre Two of our talented young performers have been cast in the upcoming Showbiz musical production of Hairspray, running from 8–18 June in the Isaac Theatre Royal. Rosa Garcia Knight (Year 12) has been cast in the lead role of Amber Von Tussle and says she is “thrilled to be part of the fantastic cast and crew”.

Annabel Manning (Year 13) has also been cast in Hairspray. This is in addition to her recent role in the highly successful show Rock of Ages, featuring great 80s music, and having a significant part in the StAC production of Cabaret.

Global connections forged on service trips

The annual Community Service trips to Cambodia were lifechanging for the two groups of students who ventured out of their comfort zone to take part. Each group spent two weeks visiting the country, including staying in a Kampong Speu Province village and continuing to build strong connections with the Cambodian team over there. Nick Ryan and Jacqueline Yoder (who were the 2015 Year 11 and 12 deans) led the latest journey to the region, where the students worked with children of Bong Paoun (a Big Brother Big Sister project), and Hagar, an organisation that restores the lives of those coming out of the trafficking industry. They also visited an orphanage in the provinces, where they completed a painting project and took part in a village outreach programme, says Jacqueline. “We visited a number of organisations, did

Cultural activities are an important part of StAC’s twice yearly service trips to Cambodia.

cultural activities, and took in many sites of significance such as the temple complex at Angkor Wat, and the Killing Fields, which was an incredibly moving experience for the students.” The trips help the students to become more globally aware, service focused and engaged with other cultures, she says. “It is a really powerful and special trip for St Andrew’s.”

Hansel and Gretel a sell-out success

The StAC Ballet Academy was proud to present a double bill for the 2015 Ballet production. Firstly a classical work called Ballet en Bleu, a collaborative new work with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Educator, Pagan Dorgan, and with our StAC Ballet Academy Director, Dr Carolyn Cairns. The Academy then presented Hansel and Gretel, a well-known storybook ballet based on one of the famous Grimms' fairy tales, choreographed by Dr Cairns. This annual event showcased dancers from Year 1 through to Secondary School and was a sell-out four-show success. Congratulations to all the students who were involved with another wonderful ballet production.

Forest birds.

'Gretel', played by Charlotte Brown (Year 7).