Author: Georgina R-S

Registrations will be processed in the order that they arrive AND are paid ($200 per orchestra, via internet banking) and must be received by Friday August 7th.  Please be aware that not everyone will be able to receive their first choice in the case of everyone choosing the Tuesday 4.45pm session.

Further information can be found here – please read before completing the online form.

You will hear confirmation of your registration along with your session by Monday August 10th at latest.  Further information, including performance and workshop time within your session, will be sent out those registered at the end of August/beginning of September.

Applications are now open for the Canterbury Schools Regional Orchestra (CSRO), closing on Friday 12th June.

The CSRO is a free orchestra course for year 7-13 students with the opportunity for students to represent their school in a full symphony orchestra. Rehearsals are on a Friday afternoon from 3:45-5:15 at Hagley College over seven weeks in term 3, culminating in two public performances. Entry is by written application from which an orchestra will be selected. The target group is for students grade 4-7 level. All details can be found on the attached brochure.

This year our guest conductor is Ian Thorpe, known to many people around town as an oboist / woodwind teacher / conductor and stage manager. In addition to his depth of orchestral knowledge Ian will also bring to the event his expertise and humor. It promises to be both a rewarding and enjoyable event.

Please find attached further information about this event and an application form.

2015 Poster

2015 Brochure

2015 Application form

Find the latest University of Canterbury newsletter here

The Forte Team in association with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra would like to offer teachers the opportunity to attend an open rehearsal conducted by CSO Chief Conductor, Benjamin Northey, with the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO) on Wednesday 15th April 2015.

This will be an opportunity to be in the audience to observe a rehearsal in progress. Teachers are welcome to join us at 11am, for morning tea before the rehearsal in the foyer of the Auditorium beforehand. The rehearsal will run from 11:30 – 1pm at the Charles Luney Auditorium of St Margaret’s College.

We would encourage those attending this to support the NZSSSO performance on Friday Night at 7pm to celebrate what has been achieved over the week.

Tickets will be available at the door ($10 unwaged, $15 waged)

The NZSSSO course is an annual event that is run by the Forte Itinerant Music Service in the April school holidays. Students are selected by audition to represent their school in this six-day course.

Students this year represent 45 different schools from 16 centers around New Zealand. They will be conducted by Benjamin Northey, (chief conductor of the CSO) and tutored by members of the Forte team and the CSO.

The 2015 programme will include Shostakovich Festival Overture and the Elgar cello concerto featuring Soloist Matthias Balzat.  The major work is the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony.

Best wishes
Nicky Fogden-Smith

NZSSSO coordinator
Forte Itinerant Music Service

Link to PDF version

The PPTA has published a Toolkit and set of guidelines for school leader, HODs, and ITMS to assist with Teacher Registration, professional development, and other related issues. The document can be downloaded here and has been added to our Resources page. An introduction, and examples of Appraisal documents, can be found on the MENZA website here

Dear HODs,

Happy New Year – I hope it has started well for you.

The Forte ITMs (formally the Hagley ITM’s) started meeting last week to plan the year ahead and as a team will use this week to set up programmes and take part in PLD opportunities.

This week the individual Itinerant teachers will also be making contact with their contracting schools in order to get the year underway, with a view to having all school programmes set up from week 2 (or as directed by individual schools.)

Each user school will be allocated a liaison ITM in order to make communication with Forte management easier. They are responsible for keeping the school informed and up to date with what our service has to offer. Shortly these liaison teachers will make contact with you. We encourage HOD’s to contact their liaison ITM, or myself, as needs arise.

This brochure lists ITMs working on the forte team. The school liaison can provide a list of all ITMs working for the individual schools, should this be required.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate contacting me or Jonathon Tressler at forteoffice@hagley.school.nz

We had hoped to continue with the successful 2013/14 format in 2015. However, the Aurora Centre is unavailable, having been booked out for almost all of August and September for the Arts Festival. We have looked at other dates, but there are none available that suit. Discussions have also been held looking at cost effective solutions for other venues.

A compromise has been reached for 2015. The workshops with commentators and CSO players will continue, but this time the players and commentator will come to each orchestra to a nominated rehearsal in the 2-3 weeks BEFORE the public performance date. On Monday September 14th a Gala Concert will be held at the Charles Luney Auditorium, starting at 7pm, in which the commentators will be invited and each orchestra performs for between 5 – 10 minutes. This way each orchestra will have time to implement some of the ideas passed on from the CSO players and commentators, and the commentators will be able to hopefully hear and note the progress made since the rehearsal/workshop. We will also look at some other initiatives around the festival time.

Details are yet to be worked out, but please mark the evening of Monday September 14th 2015 in your dairies for the Orchestra Festival Gala Concert.