The co-curricular opportunities in music, speech and drama at Chilton are extensive. While programmes across Junior and Secondary levels encourage individual development and group performance at peer level, there are also opportunities for Junior and Secondary students to come together for the creation of a House Music competition each year.
Extending the in-class music programmes at a Junior School level, students are able to join choirs (Korimako for Years 1 – 3 and Vivace for Years 4 – 6), instrument tuition programmes (12 options by Year 6), and take speech and drama lessons. These opportunities are taken up by many students, with the popular itinerant music programme linking to the Junior School Orchestra (for students in Years 3 – 6). The annual production and soirees offer showcases for their emerging talents.
At Secondary School level, there are currently 15 different musical groups including auditioned and non-auditioned choirs, the Chilton Amadeus Orchestra and many smaller musical ensembles. The Music Academy at Senior levels is another extension opportunity, plus regular performance opportunities that occur throughout the year such as Rising Star Concerts, Young Musician Concerts, weekly School assemblies and itinerant tutor recitals.
The itinerant programme at Chilton is taught by a highly capable group of tutors who are renowned performers in their own right. In 2011, tuition is offered in piano, voice, theory, violin, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, trombone, speech and drama. The academic benefits of learning a musical instrument are well documented, and the stimulation of one-to-one teaching is beneficial to students. There are always opportunities to sit Grade Examinations and enter Regional Competitions. Click here to read more about our itinerant tutors.
The Seraphim Choir is the premier auditioned choir and has established a national and international reputation for excellence. Seraphim represented New Zealand in Belgium in 2007 to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of World War One. In 2007 and in 2009 the choir sang the National Anthems of France, Australia and New Zealand at International Rugby Test matches. The Seraphim choir has featured regularly in the Secondary Schools Choral Festival winning awards at Regional and National Finale level. In July 2011 Seraphim took part in the Rhapsody Childrens’ Choral Festival in Europe. The highlight of the trip was singing at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. A full report of the Seraphim Choir 2011 Europe Tour is available here.
The Chilton Drum Corps is a percussion ensemble directed by Maurice Phillips which has quickly established itself as Chilton’s newest and most exciting performance group. It is also in demand to perform at community events.
In 2010 the Chilton Amadeus Orchestra, directed by Lynne Scott, performed in Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre and accompanied the massed singing for the Wellington Artsplash Music Festival, as well as performing their own items. This year, the orchestra has a revised format to include students from the wider community. Rehearsals are after School on Monday afternoons from 3.40pm. To find our more, click here.
The Orchestra forms part of the Music Centre at Chilton, which also encompasses the Chilton Choral Centre. The two choirs included in this programme are open to boys and girls in the wider community from Years 2 – 8. Click here to read more.
Click here to read more about individual and group successes over the course of 2010 or contact us for a Prospectus and Parent Handbook to learn more detail about the music, speech and drama opportunities at Chilton.