OUR ALUMNAE

Amelie Spinks

JAZZ BASS STUDENT AT CONSERVATORIUM VAN AMSTERDAM

Amelie (class of 2016) is primarily a bass player, both electric and upright, and she also plays guitar, sings and writes original material.

Growing up, she was exposed to music in a variety of genres and started bass in Year 8 as a means to play across this range.

During her time at Rangi Ruru, Amelie played bass in the Jazz Band, Jazz Combo and Sinfonia and was also principal bass in the NZ Secondary Schools’ Symphony Orchestra, a member of the Christchurch All Girl Big Band and the UC Christchurch Youth Orchestra.

She played bass in the combined Rangi Ruru and Christ’s College productions of West Side Story (2018) and Evita (2020). She was also selected to take part in the 2020 International Conservatorium van Amsterdam Summer Jazz Workshops, where she currently studies jazz bass.

Amelie credits her first public performance in Year 9 as the catalyst to develop her skills.

“It made me realise that I enjoy performing and that I wanted to improve. Rangi Ruru helped me get excited about where my instrument could take me and pushed me to practice,” she says.

Amelie was also a high-performing academic and athletic student during her time at Rangi Ruru.