Music
Music
The Music Department offers an extensive range of opportunities for students to participate in extra-curricular music.
Music Groups
Ōtūmoetai College Symphonic Band/Orchestra
This performing group is open to students of all ages and ability levels. The Ōtūmoetai College Symphonic Band is open to all students who play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument or, just as importantly, those that would like to. The group performs in local, regional, and national competitions, and provides a positive, welcoming environment for all.
Ōtūmoetai College Big Band
The Ōtūmoetai College Big Band provides a musical outlet for those students who wish to be challenged further on their instrument. The band performs at local, regional, and national competitions. A high standard of commitment and dedication is expected from all students who are a part of this group.
Ōtūmoetai College Jazz Combo
The Ōtūmoetai College Jazz Combo is an auditioned group which is a smaller, yet more challenging version, of the Ōtūmoetai College Big Band. Students learn the skills of improvisation and ensemble awareness to a heightened degree through their involvement in this group. The band performs at local, regional, and national competitions. A high standard of commitment and dedication is expected from all students who are a part of this group.
Rock Bands
Ōtūmoetai College Rock Bands are not formed by Music Department staff but by keen and enthusiastic students. Music Department staff support these groups by providing full band set ups and practise spaces, as well as providing band mentoring and Recording Studio opportunities. All bands are encouraged to perform at school assemblies, school lunchtime concerts, and the Smoke Free Rock Quest. Students can advertise for Rock Band members in the school notices if they are having trouble finding personnel.
Music Groups
Ōtūmoetai College Songwriters Circle
The Play it Strange Song Writing competitions are an important event on the Ōtūmoetai Music calendar, and students have enjoyed a large amount of success in this competition over the past 20 years. The Song Writing circle encourages song writers to share their songs with staff, who have a vast range of writing and performing experience, to learn the intricacies of songwriting as well as writing to a brief. Most of these songwriters enter the Smoke Free Rock Quest in the Solo/Duo category.
Click here for the playlist of original songs created by bands from Ōtūmoetai College during 2025.
Ōtūmoetai College Choir
The Ōtūmoetai College Choir is a group for junior and senior singers to become part of a thriving and fun musical community. The group performs a range of repertoire from traditional choral music to arrangements of popular music. The choir perform every year at the Big Sing competition, as well as performances in the college and at other local schools.
Ōtūmoetai College Guitar Group
The Ōtūmoetai College Guitar Group is a group for guitarists who wish to extend their ensemble playing outside of the conventional rock band. Students will play a range of music from Baroque through to Jazz and the musicians in this group are encouraged to read guitar tablature. The Ōtūmoetai College Guitar Group performs at local and regional festivals and competitions and is open to guitarists of intermediate ability.
Ōtūmoetai College Chamber Music Ensembles
Chamber Music Ensembles are small groups for intermediate to advanced musicians which are formed based on instrumental availability. All Chamber Music Groups perform at local and regional competitions and festivals. These groups include, but are not limited to, String Quartet, Saxophone Ensemble, Flute Trio, Violin Trio.
Ōtūmoetai College String Group
The Ōtūmoetai College String Group is for players of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The group requires students to have some knowledge and understanding of the instrument so is not open to beginners, but we strongly encourage and nurture our string students into playing for the group. The Ōtūmoetai College String Group performs at local and regional competitions and festivals as well as performing annual concerts at local rest homes.
