(Speech at the Christchurch Youth Orchestra Concert 9th May 2026)
I have had the privilege of playing trombone in the Christchurch Youth Orchestra since 2023.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t completely terrified at my first rehearsal. It was my first real plunge into orchestral playing, and I was a little intimidated by the experienced musicians who surrounded me. However, in time, I learnt that it was these very people who I would learn both with and from to become a better musician.
The opportunities that CYO has brought in just the past three years have been beyond what I ever thought I could be part of. Travelling to Wellington to compete in the Musicworks Ensemble Festival; meeting and learning from players of the Christchurch Symphony, the New Zealand Symphony and the New Zealand Army Band; participating in conducting classes; playing and even singing with the Christchurch Youth Choir; playing original New Zealand compositions, some written by fellow players and friends. And under the baton of expert conductors, I have been challenged and shaped in every corner of orchestral repertoire, from Dvorak’s 9th Symphony to Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.
But, in many ways, CYO was only the beginning of my journey. While completing my Bachelor of Music at the University of Canterbury, at a complete loss for what I would do after graduation, I contacted the director of the Christchurch School of Music – you know, that lady in the bright pink blazer who always spoke at performances. What was a shot in the dark email began my path into music education. With Celia Stewart, I now assist and teach in CSM’s Take Off With Music classes, a programme which seeks to nurture and develop musicianship in babies, toddlers and young primary students. I am a brass and recorder tutor for CSM’s In School Band Programme, and teach, assist and conduct the participating school bands around Christchurch. I have also branched out into other forms of ensemble playing, joining the CSM Concert and Big Band last year.
All of this happened after I left high school, and I can only imagine what I might have learnt had I joined CYO sooner. Yet, it has been through the Christchurch School of Music that I have grown so much in just the past few years. Their value for creating music for everyone is something I have experienced first-hand, and I feel so blessed that the Christchurch Youth Orchestra was my first step into this family.