Teens off to band workshop
Taupo¯ trio selected to join musicians from across NZ
Hundreds auditioned — few were successful. But among the talented 40 to 45 youth musicians who made it in were three from Taupo¯. Joseph Craggs and Kylie Bathe, 16, from Taupo¯-nui-a-Tia College, and Eden Chester, 17, from Tauhara College, have all been selected for the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band.
They will spend a week in Wellington next month with other student musicians from around the country for five days of learning and rehearsals, topped off with a concert.
The news is especially exciting for the trio after last year’s Youth Symphonic Winds was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Joseph will play bass clarinet, Kylie plays percussion and Eden plays the flute. Joseph also plays tenor saxophone and Kylie is a violin player too.
Competition for a place in the band was fierce. The young musicians all had to learn four pieces of music and send in a video audition of themselves
playing them with selectors looking for students’ range and tone.
All three students are excited at the prospect of being part of the group and of spending a week in the capital.
Kylie and Eden say they’re looking forward to playing with an advanced group of musicians of the same age as well as learning, having fun and making friends with other students from around the country.
And they will be playing alongside other musicians with the same instruments — Joseph is the only clarinetist of his age in town.
The prospect is especially exciting for Kylie as the band conductor is Brent Stewart, a fellow percussionist.
All three students play in the Taupo¯ Concert Band and the Taupo¯ Youth Wind Band, which are conducted by Winsome Wensley.
The Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band will be twice the size of the bands the Taupo¯ musicians are used to but Winsome is confident they have the skills they will need.
She adds the three are among the oldest students in the Taupo¯ Youth Wind Band so it can be good motivation for their juniors to see what’s possible if they work at their music.
“I’m really proud of them, it’s great. It’s a good progression for them to learn their basic skills in these groups and go to a bigger centre with lots of people and measure their standard just to see where they are at and good for them to have the opportunity.”