The streets of Tauranga were buzzing at the end of Term 1 as the National Youth Jazz Festival took over the city. Our musicians were right in the thick of it, participating in the prestigious Youth Festival with two outstanding ensembles: the Westlake Jazz Band and our newly established, student-led combo, Crimson Collective.
The Westlake Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Jono Howan, delivered a high energy performance. In only our second year attending the festival, the band was awarded a Silver Award – an improvement over last year’s Bronze award – and evidence of the incredible growth and musicality this group has achieved in a very short time. Equally impressive was the debut of Crimson Collective. As a student-led jazz combo, these musicians have worked hard on their pieces – arranged by band leader Piper Donaldson. They were awarded with a Bronze Award in their very first year. For a new group to walk onto a national stage and find immediate success is a fantastic achievement.
Beyond the awards, Westlake Girls was highlighted by the festival organisers as one of the few schools presenting all-girls ensembles. We are incredibly proud of our students for not only getting involved with our Jazz Programme but also demonstrating outstanding commitment and dedication to perform on the national stage with excellence.
We are thrilled to announce that later this term, Westlake will be hosting several other all-girls jazz bands from across Auckland for a special weekend of workshops and collaboration. The weekend will culminate in a joint public concert, showcasing the collective talent of young women in jazz. It’s going to be an exciting collaborative event, so please keep an eye out for ticket details and continue to support our young musicians!
