Musical talent galore at Rhapsody Rotorua (+video)

The Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre is teeming with musically talented teenagers from the region and Australia, as part of Rhapsody Rotorua.

The annual Schools and Youth Music Festival was established in 2001, giving music students the opportunity to work with each other, conductors and tutors.
Thirteen schools from around the region are participating in the event, as well as five schools from Australia.

Western Heights High School students Matthew Butterfield, 16, and Alex Simes, 17, were performing in their school band as well as in the honours group, chosen from top students from school's participating in the festival.

They all played in the Western Height's High School jazz band.

Matthew, who plays the trombone, said this was the third time he had been part of the festival.

"You get heaps of feedback and you just learn heaps."

He said it was interesting to see what music students from other schools were doing with their music and how they compared.

Bass player Alex said playing with people you had not played with before was a valuable experience.

"With people you have played with for ages, you know what they are going to do."

They all enjoyed working with jazz musician and educator Rodger Fox.
The boys were playing today as part of their school's jazz band and tomorrow with the honours jazz band.

They will have three days to learn a piece of music which they will perform tomorrow, at the festival's last concert.

Students held a matinee performance at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre yesterday, and will perform at 7pm tonight and tomorrow.
Free tickets are available from the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre and Ticketmaster online.

Rhapsody Rotorua
• The youth and music festival is in its 15th year, and has always been held in Rotorua.
• Music students from five Australia schools and 13 schools from the region are participating in the festival this year.
• Individual groups will perform today at 7pm at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre.
• The honour students, festival bands, orchestras and choirs will perform tomorrow at 7pm at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre.