New Plymouth’s The Rail Trailers win NZCT Chamber Music Contest regional final

The Rail Trailers won the regional final at the NZCT Chamber Music Contest.

A group of Taranaki students have been crowned the best classical musicians in the region.

The Rail Trailers won the regional final at the secondary school NZCT Chamber Music Contest in New Plymouth on June 25.

Varya Kern, from Stratford, plays flute for the group. She and fellow New Plymouth Girls High School classmates Neve Post, Alice Obreja-Damian on the violins, and pianist Zoe Magnussen performed Rail Trail, a work specifically written for them by Auckland composer David Hamilton.

The work was not only the inspiration for the group’s name but also helped earn them the award for best performance of New Zealand work at the regional finals.

Jocelyn Beath, the coordinator of the New Zealand Chamber Secondary Schools competition for Taranaki, says David regularly supports Taranaki musicians.

“David and I worked together when I taught music at New Plymouth Boys’ High School. Since then he has been a great supporter of Taranaki music. Each year he writes a composition for a local group to perform. I spoke to him about the New Plymouth Girls’ High School students and a week later he sent a composition for them.”

David says The Rail Trailers performed well.

“They performed confidently and played as an ensemble clearly listening to each other and working as a unit. They were very happy afterwards and pleased with their performance.”

Jocelyn says The Rail Trailers aren’t the only successful New Plymouth Girls’ High School musicians.

Nancy Yu will represent the region at the National Young Performer Award in October. She won her spot during a New Plymouth recital programme, performing a 15-minute piece.

Jocelyn says she’s proud of the students.

“It’s so nice for these girls to be recognised for their hard work and dedication to their music.”