On Tuesday 9 August the Carmel Orchestra performed at the KBB Music festival. The Carmel Orchestra is a non-auditioned Year 7-13 Orchestra and, like all schools in New Zealand, Orchestra rehearsals have been very disrupted this year. Term 1 saw the Orchestra rehearsing the woodwind and brass sections outside the boat shed; definitely not for those who feel the cold. Rehearsals were run separately with the strings and percussion, rehearsing inside and the brass and woodwind outside. These rehearsals were run by senior students with Mrs Brockelbank (Orchestra Director) alternating between them.

When the restrictions were lifted slightly in Term 2 the Orchestra moved rehearsals inside but as we were still under some restrictions, we had to use the school’s atrium in order to spread out and keep students safe. We’d like to thank the Faith Cafe for working with us and all the students who kept their noise to a minimum as we shared this space on Friday mornings before school.

At the festival the Orchestra played 3 pieces: New World Symphony, Hungarian Air and Dance and Medieval Legend. A new initiative for 2022 saw all the schools combining to make one massive orchestra where they played a piece called “Slingshot”, an experience none of the students will forget.

A video of the orchestra performance can be viewed here: