Musicale tuned to excellence
The 2025 Girls’ School Musicale opened with the sense of occasion that has come to define the culmination of the music year. Held in mid-November, the evening brought together families, staff, and students to celebrate a year of artistic development. What unfolded on stage was a carefully curated programme that highlighted technical skill and young performers steadily honing their craft.
The night opened with a warm welcome from the Kapa Haka rōpū, grounding the evening our land’s tradition before the Flora McDonald Strings performed several fun pieces from their years’ repertoire. Pianist Isabel Xu followed with a beautifully controlled performance that set an impressive benchmark for the evening ahead.
Junior choir Vox Box delivered one of the most memorable moments with Whisper, a piece that flickered playfully between left and right like a choreographed echo. Their second item, My Dragon Wasn’t Feeling Good brought a playful mood to their performance.
The programme continued to unfold vibrantly throughout the evening. Soloists, Rock Bands, the Chamber Ensemble, the Senior Choir Highland Belles, and the Orchestra each contributed a different flavour to what was a sampling of the entire music programme at our school.
A standout of the night came from pianist Olivia Mu, whose solo was intricate, technically demanding, and brimming with rapid-fire scales. Not to mention the delivery had maturity and musical intelligence well beyond her years.
As the evening drew its final bar line, what was ultimately showcased was a music programme maturing in both depth and confidence. The performances reflected both talent and a joy that is clearly nurtured under Head of Music, Anji Toy. The coming years promise an encore well worth waiting for.
