Sam Winterton, Sistema Whangārei programme director, leads the Sistema orchestra at the group’s 10th birthday concert at Forum North.
Sam Winterton, Sistema Whangārei programme director, leads the Sistema orchestra at the group’s 10th birthday concert at Forum North.
It was set up to make a positive impact on the lives of children in our community through orchestral music training, and Sistema Whangārei has celebrated 10 years of delivering its programme to the youth of Northland.
More than young 120 performers took the stage at Forum North, Whangārei, on Sunday, coming from as far as Dargaville and Auckland to showcase their talent at the 10th birthday celebrations.
Sam Winterton, Sistema Whangārei programme director, said the concert was a wonderful occasion in which the young performers excelled.
Forum North’s Exhibition Hall was packed for the performance of more than 120 members of Sistema Whangārei, which has celebrated 10 years of getting young people involved in music.
‘’It was a phenomenal day. To have so many young people working together to bring out the best in themselves and each other was amazing - they are such awesome kids. There was so much joy,’’ Winterton said.
She said the programme was achieving its aims of giving young people more confidence and ability, but also life skills so that they could develop.
Winterton cited the case of one girl who came to the programme and seemed quite shy, and appeared to struggle to make friends at school.
‘’But a year later she was the centre of everything. They all really learn together and encourage each other. She’s not only a beautiful and fabulous performer, but she’s now so out-there and effervescent and has really grown as a person.
‘’We want to see our young people grow and flourish like that, and we are seeing it happen all the time.’’
The students practised for much of the weekend, dedicating almost all of their Sunday to the event and a small army of parents and volunteers worked through the weekend to make sure performers were fed, happy and were going where they needed to.
Theo James and Waiariki Rogers-Clement get ready for their performance at the Sistema Whangārei 10th birthday celebration.
The audience, which included Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo, completely filled the Exhibition Hall. As well as the music, there was also a catered intermission with a musical-themed birthday cake made by Lynelle Greer and daughter Talia.
Sistema Whangārei was set up with the aim is to enhance the lives of children in our community through orchestral music training. Its goals are to strengthen their spirit and foster the making of positive choices, creating an environment of “anything is possible” for the children and others.
The mission is to deliver this innovative, community-based, El-Sistema-inspired programme for young people, beginning in early childhood, so their experience as they grow up is of having a “sense of place” and a passion for life and music.
It wouldn’t be a birthday celebration without a cake and Sistema
Whangārei’s 10th birthday celebration needed one to cater for the 120-plus performers at the birthday bash.
