Extra Curricular
Chess Club
The Chess Club has been running for about 3 years here at Aquinas. It meets every Thursday at 2nd break. This year (2012) we are meeting in Room 39. There are up to 20 students who attend, but probably only about half of that number attend regularly each week. Each year we enter students in the Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools Chess Championships. I have run the club for 3 years and Evelyn Knights will be helping this year.
Kevin Thompson
Music
Ukulele Unlimited - Mrs Bridge
We have started the learners Ukulele Group called ‘Ukulele Unlimited’. Whether a beginner or just needing to grow in confidence in Ukulele skills, this group aims to have a lot of fun making music. All ages and stages are welcome. The group has begun with simple music, teaching the basic skills of strumming and chords.
We meet on Thursday lunchtime in Art Room 4 [or Music Room 2 if it’s available]. Bring your own Ukulele. All welcome
Ukulele can be purchased at the city music shops at a variety of prices. A Ukulele can be inexpensive but you get what you pay for. The cheapest Ukulele that has a good sound is $50.00 - $60.00, and then it would last the player if they were serious about it.
On another time slot, we also have a Ukulele Band for more advanced players (that you may have heard at Performing Arts Night last year) that students can join with more experience.
Man Choir, taken by Frode Lindanger
Rehearses Monday lunchtimes with some other small group practices. We are working towards Rhapsody in Rotorua in June and the schools tour and Performing Arts Night in the second half of the year.
CHOIRS
‘Angels Awaken Girls Choir’ Musical Director, Maria Colvin
‘Angels Awaken’ was formed in 2006 and now has 48 members. We sing at school masses during the year and work towards performing and competing at the Big Sing National Secondary Schools Choir festival mid—June. In 2010 Angels Awaken was chosen to appear as a guest choir at the National Finale of The Big Sing in Auckland. Other highlights of our year will include Rhapsody in Rotorua in late June and later in the year the Schools tour and Performing Arts night as well as community performances.
Big Sing 2010 on the Auckland Town Hall Stage
‘Angels Awaken’ rehearses 3.30 to 5pm on Wednesdays with some other rehearsals held during the school day in small groups.
Year 7 & 8 Choir Musical Director, Maria Colvin
This choir joins other Primary and Intermediate School choirs to perform at the Tauranga Primary Schools Music Festival in August and the Suzanne Prentice Kids for Kids concerts in November this year. This is rehearsed during school assembly times with some lunchtime rehearsals closer to the time.
CONCERT BAND
Musical Director, Paul Sanders.
Now with over 35 members, the standard of performance of the Concert Band has risen quite dramatically. Highlights in past years include being awarded a Silver award at the Rhapsody in Rotorua festival and having several of our Concert Band members play in the elite Honours Concert Band made up of the top musicians from Australia and New Zealand schools. Watch this space, 2012 is looking very exciting for the Concert Band with various other performances and competitions we are looking to enter as well as Rhapsody!
The Concert Band rehearses on Wednesdays at lunchtime. Please see Mr Sanders for further information.
JAZZ BAND
With the expert help of Mr Paul Sanders the Jazz Band meets at first break every Wednesday. The Jazz Band will hopefully be going to Rhapsody in Rotorua in June this year.
STRING GROUP
A small but dedicated group of students continue to work well on Thursdays under the tuition of our string itinerant, Mrs Lucy Gardner.