Musical talent celebrated in Rotorua with LearnMusicNZ Showcase Concert

A Rotorua church was filled with music and talent this weekend as young musicians showed off what they could do.

The LearnMusicNZ Showcase Concert was held todayat St Luke's Church.

Twelve teachers from Rotorua and Taupō presented their students, who included pianists, vocalists, violinists and a flautist.

There were 50 items in total, with students from Initial through to Grade 8 and Diploma performing.

The audience enjoyed works by Beethoven, Chopin and Handel, as well as 20th century and New Zealand composers.

Annamarie Harris, publicity officer for the Rotorua branch, said the performers included the winners and place-getters in LearnMusicNZ's Senior, Intermediate and Junior Scholarships for 2018.

"All of these students have earned the right to perform in the concert because of successes in competitions and examinations."

Matt Montesa, 8, performs at the LearnMusicNZ Showcase Concert at St Luke's Church. Photo / Ben Fraser

She said it was wonderful to have so many performers.

"This is an annual event and we seem to be growing in numbers every year."

John Paul College's Veronica Chen, 14, played the violin and piano.

She has played the violin for two years and the piano for six.

"I'm looking forward to listening to other people play and seeing all the talent that's in town."

She said what she liked about playing the violin and piano was expressing her feelings and enjoying the music.

She was looking forward to showing what she could do in the showcase.

Taupō's Teresa Painuthara, 12, and Marionne Montesa, 12, both played the piano and said they were looking forward to listening to the other performers.

Teresa said she enjoyed seeing how much she had progressed over the year and how she had achieved her goals.

Taupō pianist and violist Matt Montesa, 8, and pianist Stanley Su, 7, said they both enjoyed making people happy when they listened to their music.

Two guest artists also performed - pianist Shamus Baker performed Revolutionary Etude by Chopin and vocalist Maddy Thompson who sung O del mio dolce ardor by Gluck.

Baker and Thompson are now university students studying music and were past students of local members.

Rotorua's Maddy Thompson said she had been singing for about 14 years - since she was 7.

When she was a little girl she sang in these showcase concerts, and it was great to perform there again, she said.

"It's nice to be back and see all these new faces.

"It's strange being the senior, because there were always other seniors and I looked up to them."

She said she was looking forward to performing and that there were a couple of her old teachers there who had not heard her sing for a few years.