St Andrew’s College students blow away prizegiving audience with medley of classic Kiwi songs

Students at a prestigious Christchurch high school have wowed audience members at their end-of-year prizegiving with a selection of Kiwi classics.

The Aotearoa Medley featured a te reo Māori version of Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over, Don’t Forget Your Roots by Six60, In Colour by Shapeshifter and Aotearoa by Stan Walker.

Year 13 students Sean Liddiard, George Wesley, Noah Fanene, Emily Edwards, Sarah Heffernan, Mookmanee (Mookee) Lee and Rory Forsythe took the stage in the six and a half minute performance.

The singers were backed up by Year 12 students Ethan Lam on lead guitar, Oliver Hill on rhythm guitar and Year 13 Miu Kim on violin.

“Our talented ākonga poured their hearts and souls into this performance,” the school said in a post on its Facebook page.

“Expertly arranged by Old Collegian William Buffham, filling the entire arena with energy and pride!”

A performance of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven at the school’s 2023 prizegiving went viral, racking up more than 150,000 views and 4000 likes two years ago.

A similarly stirring performance was repeated at last year’s prizegiving when students performed a cover of Coldplay’s 2008 hit Viva La Vida.

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