On August 1, Sancta Maria College students participated in the annual Auckland Stand Up Stand Out, a local competition that showcases performance of a variety of musical genres such as contemporary, R.&.B, popular, jazz and Pacifica beats. This was held at Otara Music Arts Centre and this year, a large number of our students competed in a number of categories such as: group vocals, solo vocals, band, and for the first time, dance.
In the group vocal division, 16 members of our school’s senior choir, “Sanctus”, represented the College in a musical item called ‘For Good’, arranged by Mac Huff. This included Maddison Blincoe 10DNN, Lars Bosales 11CLE, Norris Chan 10MAC, Hannah Dangatan 9CLE, Camille Isip 9LIS, Theodore Lopez 10LIS, Raphael Meregildo 9DNN, Harini Pushpakumar 9CLE, Grace Sih 12CLE, Jon Adam Tonacao 11CLE and pianist Phoebe Kong 12GNS.
Young Nation, a band/vocal group consisting of Patrick De Vera 12DNN, Anna Nguyen 12BRN, Maris Balili 12GNS, Daniella Joven 12LIS, and Audrie Mamaradlo 12LIS, also competed under Group Vocals.
On August 2, students eagerly came in for another round of the competition, this time singing solo. These students were Maris Balili, Milly Corboy 7GNS, Mary Crowe 9GNS, Patrick De Vera, Leuasa Ensink, Camille Isip, Daniella Joven, Audrie Mamaradlo, Sophia Milantoni 9DNN, Anna Nguyen, Helen Pahulu 13LIS, Harini Pushpakumar, Kelly Qi 13BRN, and Jolin Rivers 9CLE.
A big congratulations goes to semi-finalists Leuasa Ensink and Audrie Mamaradlo, as well as many other talented solo performers who participated and represented the school.
The following Monday, on August 6, the school’s numerous bands competed.
This included Fun with A K, performing a jazz item inspired by Stevie Wonder’s take on ‘Sign, Sealed, Delivered’. This band comprised of Jenna Aspeling 10DNN, Maris Balili, Peter Brzozowski 12CLE, Lorenzo Cruz 11BRN, Jeremy D’Cruze 12BRN, Hayley Kevern 13LIS, Kim Minju 10DNN, Audrie Mamaradlo, Anna Nguyen, Daniella Joven, Laura Richardson 12BRN, Ethan Rogacion 9LIS, Adrian Suva 13GNS, and Adrian Vargas 9LIS.
Additionally, Holy Terrors consisting of Maddison Blincoe, Ciaran Crane 9DNN, Hannah Dangatan, Alfonso Dela Cruz 10GNS, Kylemore Evans-Parker 10GNS, Keira Heffernan 8GNS, William Kevern 9CLE and Nathan Pereira 10GNS took part.
Eleni Motuliki 9LIS and Lanijane Nixon 9BRN took to the stage as a duo known as The 1st Ladies.
High Voltage also performed, consisting of Rad Atienza 10DNN, Reuben Ferguson 8GNS, Sean Hancock 10GNS and Lawrence Stewart 8CLE.
The opportunity and challenge to perform in a safe, supportive, upbeat environment with the ability to broadcast and enrich musical talents to share with others in and outside of school has been deeply satisfying and, overall, a wonderful experience. The number of students participating has significantly increased with more than 50 students competing, along with a great number of semi-finalist and finalists included. Therefore, a great big thank you goes to music teachers, Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Cho, as well as the coordinators, judges and M.Cs of the competition that allowed us to showcase the school’s many special musical talents.
Maris Balili
