Music triumphs over adversity

From left, Nevaeh Spicer, Chavi Thomas and Dana Rutten sing their hearts out at last Thursday’s concert.

Riddhi Patel (front) and the Leamington School Orchestra bring some festive cheer to Shakespeare St shoppers.

It’s been a tough year for Leamington School’s choir and orchestra, with practices disrupted and performances cancelled because of the pandemic – but students have found other ways to celebrate their music.

“2020 has not been kind to many people and for our choir and orchestra it was no different,” said Petra Gilbert, the teacher in charge of both groups.

Leamington School Choir members, from left, Kahurangi Quinlan, Anusri Ragul and Emily Comber have a blast singing for family and friends.

“Firstly we had lockdown, followed by Covid alert levels, which meant that playing instruments was out for over half the year.  Our choir was denied an opportunity to sing at the Kids 4 Kids concert in Hamilton in September because it was cancelled, and the orchestra has been unable to visit rest homes to perform.

“However we were not going to let Covid have the last say.”

The choir gave a special performance for family and friends at the school hall last Thursday and on Friday morning the orchestra walked from school into Shakespeare St to give a festive performance outside the medical centre.

“I am immensely proud of every child – they are all superstars who sang and played brilliantly,” Petra said.

From left, Nevaeh Spicer, Chavi Thomas and Dana Rutten sing their hearts out at last Thursday’s concert.

 

More Recent News

Parades ‘kill retail sales’

Waipā District Council is being urged to engage in deeper community consultation before agreeing to closing roads for Christmas parades. The council last week approved several road closures to enable Christmas parades for Saturday, December…

Raffle is on the house

Some lucky little person could soon be the recipient of a three-storey doll’s house made by blokes at the Cambridge Menzshed and furnished by Cambridge Resthaven resident Alison Hucke. The miniature home is being raffled…

Sticking with the treaty

Cambridge High School Board presiding member Jim Goodrich says the school will continue to honour the Treaty of Waitangi despite the Government’s plans to axe obligations to give effect to the treaty. Education minister Erica…

Mayor’s morning ritual

Mike and Nic Pettit wake at 4.50am and climb to the top of Maungakawa hill every morning. “It’s a great time for us to get our own time,” Mike Pettit said. “You get up there…