Newspaper Article 1999 – Hastings primary schools join for three-day festival

Hastings primary schools join for three-day festival

KATE TAYLOR

More than 1000 children from 21 schools are taking part in the Hastings Primary Schools’ Music Festival this week.

The area has been separated into three areas, with seven schools from Flaxmere and country areas performing last night, seven from west Hastings tonight and seven from east Hastings and Havelock North tomorrow night.

The performances are being held at the Hastings Municipal Theatre each night from 7.30pm.

Hastings Primary Schools Music Festival Society chairman Sandra Locke, who teaches at St Mary’s School, said that all the people involved were teachers or students, including the conductors and pianists.

“The festival was the culmination of hard work by the children and 50-plus teachers.

“Each night features a varied programme of mass choir and individual school events, featuring songs by New Zealand composers,” she said.

“As we go into the new millennium, the mass choir song will reflect life in New Zealand as it was yesterday, as it is now, and as it will be tomorrow.”

One original composition by Hastings Intermediate teacher Michelle Connell, called Bring It On 2000, will be performed as part of the festival.

The mass choir will also sing Look Through My Eyes, a song written by Karamu High School fifth-former David Marris, who won a song-writing competition with it when he was a pupil at Heretaunga Intermediate School.

The festival has had support from the Eastern and Central Community Trust.

Photo caption – TOP AND ABOVE: Hastings Intermediate School teacher Michelle Connell conducts a song during rehearsals for the Hastings Primary Schools’ Music Festival starting tonight. She composed the song the students were singing, called Bring It On 2000.
HB TODAY PICTURES: RICHARD ROBINSON