Taupō college musicians win places in NZ Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band

Three Taupō student musicians will be part of the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band. From left: Eden Chester, 17, Kylie Bathe, 16, and Joseph Craggs, 16. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Hundreds auditioned - few were successful.

But among the talented 40 to 45 youth musicians who made it in were three from Taupō.

Joseph Craggs and Kylie Bathe, 16, from Taupō-nui-a-Tia College, along with Eden Chester, 17, from Tauhara College, have all been selected for the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band. They will spend a week in Wellington in July with other student musicians from around the country for five days of learning and rehearsals, topped off with a concert.

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The news is especially exciting for the trio after last year's Youth Symphonic Winds was cancelled due to Covid.

Joseph will play bass clarinet, Kyle plays percussion and Eden plays the flute. In addition Joseph plays tenor saxophone and Kylie is also a violin player.

Competition for a place in the band was fierce. The young musicians all had to learn four pieces of music and send in a video audition of themselves playing them with selectors looking for students' range and tone.

All three students are excited at the prospect of being part of the group and of spending a week in the capital.

Kylie and Eden say they're looking forward to playing with an advanced group of musicians of the same age as well as learning, having fun and making friends with other students from around the country.

As well, they will be playing alongside other musicians with the same instruments - Joseph is the only clarinetist of his age in town. The prospect is especially exciting for Kylie as the band conductor is Brent Stewart, a percussionist himself.

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All three students play in the Taupō Concert Band and the Taupō Youth Wind Band, which are conducted by Winsome Wensley.

The Youth Symphonic Winds Concert Band will be twice the size of the bands the Taupō musicians are used but Winsome is confident they have the skills they will need.

She adds that the three are among the oldest students in the Taupō Youth Wind Band so it can be good motivation for the younger musicians to see what's possible if they work at their music.

"I'm really proud of them, it's great. It's a good progression for them to learn their basic skills in these groups and go to a bigger centre with lots of people and measure their standard just to see where they are at and good for them to have the opportunity."