Gold Award for College Concert Band

A fantastic performance by the Concert Band during the KBB Music Festival secured a place in the coveted Gala Concert Finale at the Auckland Town Hall and another Gold Award to add to the Music Department’s trophy cabinet.

There were 39 bands from the wider Auckland region contesting the Concert Band Category and for the third time in seven years the band was chosen as one of the top four groups.

During the competitive performance held in the splendour of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the band opened with Critical Mass, a piece which musically illustrates the process of Nuclear Fission and the creation of an atomic explosion. The trombone section, undoubtedly the most improved section in 2013, made a significant contribution to the power needed to carry the piece; this was a strong opening for the programme. Critical Mass was juxtaposed by Frank Ticheli’s ‘Earth Song’ which highlighted the band’s lyrical control and warm sound. The Cathedral was a perfect venue for this slow, reflective item.

The band’s trumpet section comprising Jack Stewart, Georgia Clapp, Thomas Scott, Luke De Freyne, Declan Fisher and Claire Hofman gave a fantastic rendition of Leroy Anderson’s ‘Bugler’s Holiday’, which was delivered with conviction in front of the band and was, impressively, memorised for extra musical and presentation effect.

The band’s kit player, Jesse Merkle, featured for the fourth item, a fantastic Neal Hefti piece called ‘Cute’, where improvised Jazz drum fills were punctuated in very musically tight band. The final piece, March of the Trolls capped of the band’s performance by demonstrating a high degree of dynamic contrast and musicality with outstanding solo features by Carolyn Ding, Ethan Blight, Chris Farnell and Marieke Kruiswijk.

At the Town Hall Gala Concert, the band performed Critical Mass and March of the Trolls and were delighted to receive a Gold Award, announced at the end of the concert.

The other College Ensembles to gain awards were the Stage Band and Symphony Orchestra who both received bronze; and the Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonia who both received Commended Awards.

The directors of these ensembles are:

Mr Ross Gerritsen, Concert Band and Symphony
Mr Kristian Holmes, Stage Band
Mr Oliver Gilmour, Sinfonia and Chamber Orchestra