Cultural Blues Awarded for 2016

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Pipe Band

Lochie Chittock

Lochie receives this Blue as a well-deserved recognition of both his service to the school, and the level of achievement he has attained. He has been Pipe Major, and has played for five years at the college, including most ceremonial occasions. His service has been outstanding, and has also included mentoring younger pipers. In competition, Lochie has placed second in Otago with the Balclutha Pipe Band, and placed 5th in New Zealand with the McGlashan Pipe Band in 2012. He has been invited to audition for the NZ Youth Band. Well done Lochie.

Model United Nations / Youth UN

David Alsop

David recieves this Blue for excellence in Model United Nations competitions. He is an Otago regional council member, the only secondary school student to achieve this, and organises and participates at both University and secondary school events. David has been selected as a New Zealand Model United Nations delegate, which makes him one of twenty-two out of thousands nationally to attend a global development tour around Europe and the United States, including attending a UN youth assembly in New York City. Well done David.

Visual Art

Bradley Leydon

Bradley receives this Blue for excellence and service in photography and film. He has produced a short documentary of a highly professional standard for the college, taking many hours and requiring expertise in editing, film-making, sound and lighting. He has also given countless hours of his own time photographing and filming school events and sports, particularly the 1st XV, and published his work in the school magazine and McGlashan Messenger. Bradley has exhibited his artistic and documentary photographs, with two selected for the Dunedin Photography Society exhibition in 2016. In 2015 he designed the programme for the school musical. Bradley’s service to the school is outstanding, and the quality of his work is excellent. Well done Bradley.

Ben Mitchell

Ben recieves this Blue for outstanding achievement in visual art, especially painting. To qualify for this award, students must produce an independent portfolio of work separate from their studies; the quality of the work is independently assessed, displayed around the school, and potentially exhibited in local and national contexts. In addition to the exceptional quality of this work, Ben has also gained excellence for all art standards in 2016. Well done Ben.

Performing Arts

Ned Ennion-Dickison

Ned receives this Blue for excellent service and achievement across a range of performing arts, principally theatresports and drama. Ned has directed a piece at the prestigious Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival in 2016, and as a member of the McGlashan theatresports team for the last three years, has helped build the team into one of the best in Otago-Southland, narrowly, and controverisally, missing out on competing at the South Island finals this year. Ned has also made an outstanding contribution to McGlashan musicals, and this year gave an excellent perfomance in a key role for the Columba production of Annie. He has competed at the Big Sing for the college choir, and also coached junior theatresports. Well done Ned.

Christian Tucker

Chritian receives this Blue for an outstanding contribution to performing arts, most notably performance poetry . Christian has quickly established himself in local poetry slam competitions alongside experienced and nationally recognised poets, including gaining first placing in both the Dunedin and Otago competitions. He is currently awaiting to hear if he is a national finalist, a remarkable achievement for a secondary school student. He has also initiated and judged McGlashan poetry slam competitions, and his band gained third place in the regional Rockquest competition. Well done, Christian.

Drama

Liam Miller

Liam receives this Blue for his achievement in drama. As a member of the McGlashan theatresports team for the last three years, he has helped build the team into one of the top two in Otago-Southland, narrowly, and controversially, missing out on competing at the South Island finals this year. Liam has also coached both senior and junior students as captain of the school team for the last two years. As well as excelling on the stage, Liam has served as a senior stage manager for the last two McGlashan musicals, an important production role with considerable responsibility. Well done, Liam.

Henry Ward

Henry receives this Blue for his achievement in drama. As well as competing for our highly successful senior theatresports team since Year 9, and completing NCEA Level 2 Drama while still in Year 11, Henry has acted in external productions at the Fortune Theatre, Allen Hall Theatre and the Athenium for the last four years. He appeared in a short film in a paid role which premiered last month, and this year acted in the regional Sheilah Winn Shakespeare competition. Henry also coaches junior theatresports for the college and has performed technical roles for McGlashan and Columba productions. Well done, Henry.

Music

Noah Linscott

Noah recieves this Blue for his excellent achievement and service to music. Noah started early, winning the Otago Bandquest in 2011, and has been a Smokefree Rockquest Otago finalist in 2013, 2014 and 2015, culminating in winning the Otago competition this year. Noah has also taught drums to a number of students through a local music academy, and mentored McGlashan’s own ‘Damp TeaTowels’ to the 2016 Bandquest title. Most recently, Noah has won a place at the prestigious New Zealand School of Music in Wellington to study Jazz. Well done, Noah.

Jack Grey

Jack receives this Blue for excellence in music. He has gained grade 5 theory and grade 8 violin with distinction, but most notably has excelled as part of the McGlashan Chamber Music trio, who have dominated local competitions in recent years. For the last two years they have won the Otago round of the NZ chamber music competition, and were finalists in the southern regional competition, which equates to South Island representation. Well done, Jack.

Boen Deng

Boen receives his Blue for excellence in music. He is a member of the McGlashan Chamber Music trio, who have dominated local competitions in recent years. For the last two years they have won the Otago round of the NZ chamber music competition, and were finalists in the southern regional competition, which equates to South island representation. Well done, Boen.

James Burchell

James receives his Blue for excellent achievement in music. As well as playing in a number of choral and music roles for McGlashan and Columba college productions and bands, James has performed for the Dunedin City Choir, including a national tour of Verdi’s Requiem with the NZ Symphony Orchestra the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, has been a chamber music regional finalist. Notably, he has performed for a professional opera production of Dido and Aeneas, and as a member of the NZ secondary schools’ symphony orchestra. Well done James.

Debating

Josh Mackay

Josh has been a key member of the McGlashan debating team since 2014. He has competed for the college at the local Dunedin schools’ competition and the prestigious Russell-McVeagh Otago-Southland championships for the last three years, culminating in McGlashan winning both titles in 2016. Josh was selected for Otago development squads in both 2014 and 2016. Josh has also lead and coached junior and senior debating during the last two years, and served as an adjudicator for the junior dunedin schools’ competition, one of very few high school judges. Well done Josh.

Louis Jennings

Louis also recieves a Blue for debating, and this is an endorsement. Louis has been a key member of the McGlashan debating team since he was a junior student. He has competed for the college at the local Dunedin schools’ competition and the Russell-McVeagh Otago-Southland championships as a senior, culminating in a double victory for McGlashan this year. Louis has also achieved Otago representative status, and has taken a leadership role in terms of service, coaching junior debating. Well done, Louis.

Joe Garry

Joe also recieves a Blue for debating to round out our champion team. Like Josh and Louis, Joe has represented the school in the Otago-Southland championships for the last three years. He was awarded runner-up best speaker this year, and was one of only four students selected in the regional team to attend the NZ national competition, a high achievement indeed. Joe has also served the college by coaching junior debating for the last two years. Well done Joe.