Music - Toi Pūoro
Te toi pūoro, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa.
Musical excellence makes the world sit up in wonder.
The Music Department offers two main curriculum pathways and a range of co-curricular groups which reflect our school’s mission statement to “develop the personal potential, social responsibility and respect for individual and cultural differences of all students.” Co-curricular groups include, Orchestra, Concert Band, Big Band, Jazz Combo, Barbershop Quartets and Choruses, Chamber music, as well as Rockquest and Pacifica Beats bands. Mentoring from professional musicians is strongly valued and this is achieved through our ongoing involvement with APOPs , the NZ Music Commission, and the Play It Strange trust, as well as through the high-quality Itinerant Music Staff employed here.
All year 9 students take a term of music and at year 10, students can choose either a full year course leading on to a full NCEA programme or a half-year course that leads on to a Performance Music programme. In the senior school there are two course pathways – NCEA Music which includes composition, aural training, musicology as well as performance, and Performance Music which is multi-levelled to cater for a wider range of students with varying musical backgrounds.
Music features strongly in the life of the school and communtiy through weekly assembly items, performance at local events and in competitions such as Young Singers in Harmony, Jazz Festivals, Rockquest, Pacifica Beats, Manukau City Talent Quests, Play it Strange, KBB Band and Orchestra festivals. Gifted and talented students are challenged through our Chamber Music programme that enters students in the Chamber Music Competitions.
Facilities
The department has a purpose-built music suite that includes practice rooms, a computer suite, recording studio and performance room as well as two classrooms.
Campus Concert 12 Aug 2009
Orchestras, ukulele group, and choirs from our three schools, Primary, Intermediate and Grammar performed at a shared concert at 6.30 p.m. followed by supper. This was a great success with a family atmosphere as older siblings, ex-students, parents, teachers, Principals and Board of Trustee members met and shared the event together in front of a sizeable audience that clearly really enjoyed the event.
Thanks to music teachers involved as well as MRGS Prefects and those who helped with sound, supper and lighting for the event.
Click here for photos
MRGS wins at Stand Up Stand Out
Congratulations to David Cao- 1st in Solo Instrumental, Michael Murray- 2nd in Solo vocals, and Band Emensis- 2nd in band section.
The Finals were held at the TelstraClear Genesis Theatre on Friday 28 August. We are proud of our talented students who performed so well.
Junior Band 2009 First Rehearsal
Ms Steedman convened a beginner group of year 9 students during term 1. There are about 25 beginners learning Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophones, Trombone, Bass, Mallet Percussion, Drums, and even Tuba. They rehearse every Thursday lunchtime and plan on performing their first concert latter in term 2 this year.