Since the Music Department first premiered its themed concerts eight years ago, the College community has been treated to spectacular evenings of entertainment from our performing arts students. This year, in anticipation of the upcoming Senior College performance of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ – a New Zealand first for secondary school performers – the fundraising evening took the theme of ‘Masquerade’ from one of the show’s iconic scenes. 

Elliot Hall was transformed during the afternoon by the student Arts Council, who set the tables beautifully in keeping with the theme. Many in the audience got right into the spirit, arriving dressed in ‘disguise,’ hiding their identity behind some fantastic masks! 

Talented pianist, Selena Chen played pre-show before Art Prefect, Molly Griffiths confidently took on the role of MC for the evening introducing each act. The Concert Band, directed by Head of Music, Mr Ross Gerritsen, opened in style with two Gershwin numbers: ‘Strike up the Band’ and ‘Summertime,’ finishing with Offenbach’s ‘Can Can’ from ‘Orpheus in the Underworld.’ The Concert Band was awarded ‘gold’ at last year’s Auckland Secondary School KBB Music Festival and Saturday’s performance bodes well for another stellar year. 

The evening continued with solo, duet and small group singing items, along with dance and drama pieces. Students taking on the key roles in ‘Phantom,’ notably Harrison Griffiths (Phantom), Jacob Borland-Lye (Raoul), Millie Elliot (Christine) and Venice Qin (Carlotta), each came forward to present songs from leading Broadway shows, their vocal range and clarity making it clear why they had been selected. Izzy Fox and Hayley Adams danced a self-choreographed piece, ‘A million dreams’ – a beautifully performed lyrical piece. In the absurdist style of theatre, Stephanie Ramlose, Lauren Aspoas, Hugo Dorrestyn, Vincent Judson-Leitch and Matthew Farnell interjected moments of interactive theatre. In their final year of school, twins Molly and Harrison Griffiths reprised the role they played opposite each other in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ as Middle College student. They were backed by an orchestral arrangement by Year 11 student, Adam Perry. 

The finale of the concert was delivered by the Saint Kentigern Phantom Orchestra backing guest artist, Tim Beveridge. Tim has been welcomed to the Saint Kentigern stage on a number of occasions. 

Tim has not always been a performer. He originally worked as a lawyer, ‘abandoning’ that life some years ago to pursue his passion, eventually becoming a ‘colossus’ on the New Zealand musical theatre scene and one of the youngest earlier performers to play the role of the Phantom in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at the age of 29.  He is an outstanding recording artist, performer, producer and arranger who has sung at every major venue in New Zealand as well as the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Concert Hall. We are proud that over the years, he has added Elliot Hall to that impressive list of venues! We thoroughly appreciated Tim once again sharing his incredible voice and stage presence to sing ‘She’ (by Aznavour and Kretzmer), ‘What a Wonderful World’ (Louis Armstrong) and finishing with ‘Music of the Night’ from ‘Phantom,’ singing in duet with Year 13 student, Harrison Griffiths who will shortly take command of the stage as the Phantom in Saint Kentigern’s premier of the show. The joint performance was a powerful piece and made it clear that Harrison has the depth to sing with the best! The standing ovation was well-deserved! 

We offer our sincere thanks to Tim for taking the time to perform alongside our performing arts students, offering a source of true inspiration as they prepare for their upcoming show. Have you got your tickets! 

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Saint Kentigern Senior College
Have you got your tickets?
Tickets are now on sale from iticket.
Sunday 8 April - Matinee, 2.00pm
Monday 9 April – Evening, 7.00pm
Thursday 12 April - Evening, 7.00pm

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