In a final, polished performance staged at Shed 2, EIT music students showcased skills they have fine-tuned over the past year.

While tutors were there assessing the students on their performances, the evening was also a celebration – the “wrap party” for a fortnight of end-of-year events for students completing EIT ideaschool programmes.

For their finale – the last of eight public performances held during the year – the Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance students played covers and a selection of their original songs.

The pub venue provided an appropriately professional setting for the show, enhanced by striking stage visuals managed by ideaschool intern Dean Moroney, who completed his Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design at EIT in 2011.

The show also celebrated achievement.  The top student award was presented to Bysshe Blackburn from Napier for scoring the highest marks.

“He was also among those who stood out for supporting fellow students throughout the year,” says programme coordinator Tom Pierard.

From Jervoistown, Amanda Weedon was presented with the Ian Morris Award, which commemorates the musician, record producer, recording engineer and songwriter of Th’ Dudes fame.  The most improved student award went to Fraser MacKenzie from Puketapu.

Waipukurau’s Cilla Clarke took the best original song award and Sam Caldwell and Scarlett Eden, both from Havelock North, were best business plan award winners.

This year was the second for the certificate programme and would-be students are already seeking auditions for next year’s intake.

“They should act quickly if they want to secure a place,” Tom points out.

The 34-week full-time programme groups students into bands to learn theory, practise, rehearse and perform.

Eight genres of music are covered, each one over the course of a month, and students learn listening analysis and music appreciation, composition and arranging, recording techniques, communication and computing skills and small business studies.

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