Musical teenagers ready to battle in milestone contest

Hamish McKeich will judge the ensembles. Photo / Supplied

It is time again for the annual NZ Community Trust Chamber Music Contest, with the competition now in its Golden Jubilee Year.

It started in a small way in 1964, the brainchild of the late Arthur Hilton who was passionate about music making and wanted schoolchildren to be involved in this activity.

Presented annually by Chamber Music New Zealand, it is the only nationwide chamber music competition for secondary school musicians and composers in the country. Sponsored initially by the Bank of New South Wales and now by the NZ Community Trust, this year it involves almost 1800 students in 476 ensembles. The purpose is to encourage young musicians, regardless of standard or experience, to perform together and strive towards excellence.

More than 260 Hawke's Bay musicians in 68 groups will perform in the HB District Contest in the Napier Municipal Theatre on Friday, June 12, with sessions at 9.30am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm; and at 9.30am the following day.

The district final is at 4.30pm on the Saturday, when eight groups will be recalled to perform again. There are two adjudicators for this district - Tom McGrath from the the music department of the University of Otago and orchestra conductor Hamish McKeich, who works extensively with the NZSO.

Chamber Music New Zealand CEO Peter Walls said he was delighted with entry numbers for the 2015 contest.

"This is excellent news in the 50th Jubilee year. The Hawke's Bay region has always had strong numbers of entries."

This year there are three regional finals, when the top 12 ensembles from each region will be selected to compete for a place in the national finals on August 1 and 2 in Wellington.

One of these regional finals is in Hawke's Bay in the Napier Municipal Theatre on Sunday, June 21, with sessions at 11.30am and 4pm.

Twenty young composers, including two from Hawke's Bay, have submitted work for judging in the original composition section, with eight entered in the junior composer category. New Zealand composer Leonie Holmes will select the winning scores, with the winner receiving the SOUNZ prize of $500 for the senior composition, and $100 plus a $50 SOUNZ voucher for the junior section.

-Door sales. District contest sessions $5. Session pass $8. Children free. District final $5. Regional final $20.