At the St Andrew’s College annual Prizegiving this year, held on Sunday 26 November at Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena, the spotlight shone on various talented individuals and groups as the College celebrated the many successes of its students in 2023. However, the highlight of the evening came during the grand finale performance, a rendition of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven that left the packed auditorium of around 3,500 students, parents, and staff astounded by the musical talents of St Andrew’s College students.
The video of this performance has now been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, in New Zealand and internationally, with many thousands of comments received online from well-wishers, fans of rock music, and the St Andrew’s College community from around the world. The response has been overwhelming, with views having so far exceeded 300,000, with 3,500 shares on the College’s Facebook page.
The ambitious performance, following an arrangement by the band Heart, featured around 100 singers and musicians, seamlessly blending the sounds of the College rock band and orchestra, enhanced by an impressive light show. The various musical groups involved only came together three days prior to Prizegiving to put the whole performance together.
Head of the Music Department, Duncan Ferguson, was the brains behind the performance, supported by Music Teacher, Mark Hodgkinson, lead singer Grace Burnett (Year 13), lead guitarist Mia Fraser (Year 13), and acoustic guitarist James McIver (Year 12) in bringing this exceptional performance to life.
The College’s music tutors and all students involved in this memorable showcase can be incredibly proud of the hard work they put into this Prizegiving performance, which is now showcasing the extraordinary talents of St Andrew’s College students beyond the school gates, to a world-wide audience.
Video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standrewscollegenz/posts/901532191422684?mibextid=YxdKMJ
