Since the Music Department premiered its themed concerts in 2010 with ‘Last Night of the Proms’, the College community has been treated to spectacular evenings of musical entertainment.  In late 2010, ‘And All That Jazz’ had Elliot Hall heaving to the fantastic sounds of our Jazz Combo, Stage Band and the might of the Dalewool Auckland Brass.  In 2011, the movies came to Saint Kentigern as the Concert Band, Stage Band, Symphony and Chamber Orchestra provided the musical backing for 17 edited films that filled Elliot Hall with the nostalgia of the big screen in bygone days. In 2012, the themed concert idea developed further with the presentation of ‘Music of the Night,’ a celebration of music in the theatre.  This year, ‘A Night with the Stars’ brought a stellar line up of musicians to share the stage in Elliot Hall with the Saint Kentigern Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band.

A range of ticket options were available for the evening including premium seating at tables with platters of fine food and beverages provided whilst gold stars glittered above the tables and twinkled across the floor.

The evening featured the Saint Kentigern Symphony Orchestra during the first half as they begin their build up for this year’s KBB Festival. Opening with ‘Dance of the Tumblers,’ they went on to play ‘I lift up mine eyes to the mountain;’ a piece commissioned and written by Andrew Baldwin for the 60^th Jubilee celebrations. The orchestra was also accompanied by the Allura Quartet, a professional string ensemble. Soprano, Lillia Carpinelli, with more than ten years’ experience as both a performer and voice teacher, brought a dramatic operatic performance to the stage, accompanied by world-renowned Italian concert pianist, Matteo Napoli. Matteo also performed solo later in the evening.

New Zealand’s most successful brass band musician, Riki McDonnell took the stage twice to play the Euphonium, a rich instrument that not many of the audience would have readily identified with, yet were left enriched by its dulcet tones.

Tim Beveridge is now a familiar voice at Saint Kentigern, known for his lead role in ‘Phantom,’  he sings the ‘big songs from the big shows;’  this time choosing a Gershwin number and ‘Stars’ from Les Miserables.

Our final guest performer was one of the finest cornet players in the world, John Lewis, A player with many significant music titles; he was accompanied by the Saint Kentigern Concert Band. In one of the highlights of the evening, the band’s trumpet section came forward to join John to play a fast paced, crowd-pleasing ‘Bugler’s Holiday.’ The evening concluded with the Concert Band’s rousing rendition of Carl Orff’s ‘Oh Fortuna.’

Head of Music, Mr Ross Gerritsen is to be applauded for his passion to bring quality such shows to the Saint Kentigern Stage. 

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