Chamber Music Contest - Logan Park High School

This year the Otago District Rounds of the NZCT Chamber Music Contest were held over two days in June at Marama Hall.

There were over twenty entries in total, with 11 groups that included Logan Park students playing. Many of the LPHS groups were coached by Ms Manowitz who helped to organise rehearsals and a few practice performances before the actual contest.

LPHS students who participated were Ozan Biner-McGrath, Damian Dyke, Callum Fotheringham, Emily Fotheringham, Aria Karetai Molinari, Simon Macknight, Ken Nguyen, Rose Oats, Aoife Ryan Markie, Ava van Asten, Karuna Yang and Savarna Yang.

A lot of us played in two groups meaning that the leadup to the contest was pretty busy. Between us all, the music block basically became permanently inhabited by chamber music players.

Study? Nope, time to play some Bach (definitely not a chance to get some time out of class…) I think that it’s safe to say that we were all a little sick of the sound of our own instruments by the time the competition did roll around.

In the end, however, Logan Park was hugely successful in the contest, with the Best Overall Group, KBB Award, NZ Double Reed Society Award and three out of the four Highly Commended placings all going to groups including Logan Park students!

I was lucky enough to be part of one of the groups that was then selected to travel up to play in the Regional Finals two weeks later.

12 different groups from across the South Island performed at the Piano in Christchurch on the 22nd June, which was followed by a workshop the next given by the adjudicators, Helen Lee and Michael Jamieson. It was definitely a little intimidating, but we had a lot of fun and the food in Christchurch certainly didn’t hurt.

Best Overall Group: Loganberries

Savarna Yang, violin – Logan Park High School
Karuna Yang, flute – Logan Park High School
Ozan Biner-McGrath, piano – Logan Park High School

Works performed: J. S. Bach |Brandenburg Concerto No 5 in D major, BWV 1050 (II. Affetuoso)

Bohuslav Martinů | Sonata for violin, flute & piano H. 254 (III. Allegretto)

Highly Commended: Shoebill Storks

Ava van Asten, Karuna Yang, Emily Fotheringham

Da Propah Gangstas

Callum Fotheringham, Savarna Yang (performing with an OBHS student)

Unhinged

Simon Macknight (performing with students from Taieri College)

This group also won best performance of a New Zealand Work

NZ Double Reed Society Award: Ziggy Puddlefunk