Community Orchestra:
Concert at Duart Elder Care

The Community Orchestra had a concert on Saturday 6 April, the orchestra's first under Teresa Cuthbert as conductor. Players and the audience thoroughly enjoyed Teresa’s well chosen programme.

Orchestra Open Morning

The Hawke's Bay Youth Orchestra and Training Orchestras meet at Havelock North Intermediate School every Saturday morning during term time.

Budding musicians were invited to attend our first rehearsal of the year on the 10th of February 2024.

Registration/enrolment was from 8am
At 8.30am all students played some icebreaker games led by our student rep Oscar Holme
From 9am, students split into Training Orchestra and Youth Orchestra to try some new music
Morning tea followed at 10am

We are delighted to have Robbie Cargill directing our Youth Orchestra through to our Mother's Day Concert this year.

Christmas Harmonies 2023

Our Hawke's Bay Youth and Training Orchestras delighted a packed St Matthew's Church with excerpts from Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' alongside classics like 'Carol of the Bells' and 'O Holy Night’.

Thank you to Kimbali Harding (CEO Australian Youth Orchestra) for conducting this years Christmas concert. Thank you to the Anglican Parish of Greater Hastings for allowing us to hold our concert in the beautiful St Matthew's Church. Thank you to all the people behind the scenes who made it happen.

We celebrated the dedication and leadership of our senior leavers Theresa Zebe, Kimberly Hulena, Hazel Hatcher, Marisa Harada and Leo Guo (Young Musician of the Year 2022). Amongst the amazing solo performances was that by Ruby Lo (Hawke's Bay Young Musician of the Year 2023) who is moving to Auckland. While we farewelled all our leavers we look forward to having them play with us whenever they are in town.

Spring Concert 2023

We are grateful to the Hastings District Creative Communities Grant for funding our Spring Concert.

This concert showcased Hawke's Bays finest young musicians including 2023 HBYO Scholar Aspen Hardy and 2023 HBYO Ros Buddo Merit Award recipient Georgina Willan as well as Hawke's Bay Young Musician of the Year winners Ruby Lo (2023) and Leo Guo (2022). It was also directed by 2005 Hawke's Bay Young Musician of the Year Matthew Pipe.

The performance at the Lowe Performing Arts Centre at Lindisfarne College included Vltava by Frederick Smetana, New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak and solos from Camille Saint Saens' Carnival of the Animals.

AGM 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle delayed our AGM this year to Saturday the 29th of July 2023.

There are two scholarships available to HBYO members and two scholarships to HBTO members each year. Sarah Johnston was pleased to announce that Aspen Hardy was this year's HBYO Scholar. As a cellist and percussionist Aspen shares his talents, encourages others and contributes positively to HBYO events. Congratulations Aspen!

We are grateful to musician Ros Buddo for supporting our young players by providing this years HBYO Merit Award. This award was presented by Sarah Bryant to Georgina Willan in absentia. Not only is Georgina developing into an outstanding saxophonist, she shows leadership qualities that make her an asset to the Society as a whole. Congratulations Georgina!

After the formalities, parents, friends and whanau were treated to a free concert conducted by Robbie Cargill. The repertoire set by former HBYO director Sue Melville included an incredible performance of Homage March by Edvard Grieg that was supported by Robbie on the trumpet.

Mother's Day 2023

Thanks to our Training Orchestra conductor Mary McHattie, we are fortunate to be able to take part in the Hastings Music Society Concert Series every year on Mother's Day.

This year for our Mother's Day Concert at St Matthew's Anglican Church, our Youth Orchestra was conducted by Simon Schofield. Our audience enjoyed a repertoire developed by Kimbali Harding and Mary McHattie and included Adagio from Spartacus by Arum Khachaturian and Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone.

Many thanks to Tony Harrison for the amazing photos.

Man

Our end of year concert on the 10th of December 2022 was a triumph. The HBYO was joined by our HB Training and Community Orchestras, supported by Hastings Girls' High School Akina Voices Choir and starred guest artist Oriana Kershaw.

We farewelled our seniors George Douglas, Tamsyn Mercer, Malena Shakespeare and Ivy Wu and also Community Orchestra conductor Charlotte van Asch.

Thank you to all our parent help. We are grateful to The Anglican Parish of Greater Hastings for allowing us to perform at St Matthew's Church. Thank you to Strata Group Consulting Engineers for printing our programs. Many thanks to Simon Cartwright for the captivating photos.