Arts News

Rockquest Buzz have continued their Rockquest success, gaining a place in the National Finals to compete against nine other bands for prizes and glory. Huge congratulations to Felix Miller-Cooper, Harlo…

Our Dance tauira / students have participated in a range of great co-curricular activities this term. Year 10 students and their dance teachers went into town on a Friday night…

This year our schools participated in the Auckland Regionals of The Big Sing, a national choral competition run by the NZ Choral Federation. Both groups performed on Tuesday 18 June…

The musical chaos continued in Te Whare Puoro (The Music Department) throughout June and we are loving it! Smokefreerockquest Auckland Central Regional Finals 2024 Our five incredible bands rocked the…

We have four music groups that run at lunchtimes that are open to anyone (no auditions). They all happen in Te Whare Puoro (Music department) in Puoro 3 (the big…

It’s not everyday a Grammy winning former student comes to visit Te Whare Puoro/Music Department so we counted ourselves incredibly lucky to host Joel Little at the start of March.…

Talofa Lava! Progress is well under way with our art students engaging with a range of media and art making practices. Art Homework Club We have opened up the art…

Welcome to Visual Art in 2024!     We are excited to introduce a new addition to our team, TeRina Kapa-Vivian who is joining us as a long-term reliever (LTR)…

Team Puoro/Music is back in action for 2024 and Te Whare Puoro is already loud! Everything extra-curricular is starting back up this week so I wanted to let you know…

Trips to see amazing Dance shows - Ko Au by Projekt Team, Shel We by Tupua Tigafua in Tapac Theatre, He Huia Kaimanawa by Bianca Hyslop, TOMO by Gaby Thomas…

Tēnā koutou, I am Carmel, the new Head of Music at Springs Waiōrea, and I have returned to a school that I loved when I was the singing teacher here…

TAPAC was a hive of activity again this year with our annual Junior Arts Festival. The weeks leading up to this event were filled with creativity and collaboration as kaiako…

2023 Arts Banner design by Dawa Yeshe (pictured above) Term three ended with a creative bang! Throughout this week WSCW ākonga could experience and participate in pop up Arts events…

Lily Laita was an accomplished and celebrated artist and a dedicated, much loved teacher. As the first Pasifika woman to graduate from Elam School of Fine Arts she paved the…

Harry Ashton-Ireland completed his professional dance training at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in 2023. During his studies he has learnt and performed repertoire from William Forsythe, Ernst Meisner, Rachen…

The Judas Zoo Year 12 Drama Production Week 2, Term 3 Term three began with the two Year 12 Drama classes performing their production, ‘The Judas Zoo’ by Gary Henderson.…

'​WORD - The Front Line' is an inter-high school spoken word poetry competition held every year. This year's team from Ngā Puna o Waiōrea had an excellent performance at the…

In a thrilling venture beyond the boundaries of our classroom, our Senior Performing Arts Technology students recently embarked on an eye-opening journey to BodyFX, a renowned professional makeup company specializing…

Smokefree Rockquest update BUZZ and Carthage both made it through to the top 30 acts for 2023 - massive congratulations to both bands! And now, following in the footsteps of…

The 12 students who performed at YouDance Festival received positive feedback on their choreography from dance professionals who attended the shows. Jack Gray, Artistic Director of Atamira Dance Company, ‘Isope…

Extended Winter Greetings! Despite the weather and seasonal illnesses – students are continuing to extend and challenge themselves in the Visual Arts. It's been great to see the progress of…

In week 9 of term 2 a fantastic group of young creatives performed a selection of short works for Pasadena Intermediate. This is an annual event that we look forward…

Performances, competitions, visits and staff changes - it’s been busy in Te Whare Puoro (Music Department/Block). Changes in the Music Department staffing There has been quite a shift around in…

Throughout my 5 years at Waiōrea, I've been asked by my Drama teachers to participate in Sheilah Winn and every time I've said no, as I didn't care for Shakespeare.…

AUTAIA, HĪ!! AUTAIA, HŌ!! We returned to the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre stage, on Friday 9th of June, and performed to a sold-out crowd! A group of 70 tauira from…

We are proud to announce the outstanding achievements of two talented students from our kura who recently captivated audiences and garnered accolades at the prestigious Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand…

I am Carla Harré, an alumni of Western Springs college. I graduated Springs in 2017 and since then I have graduated from Unitec with a degree in Performing and Screen…

Greetings from Rangitoto - the creative buzz of our senior cohorts working on their individual programmes is ramping up as we move into the second half of the year. Junior…

This term the year 12 Dance class have been developing their understanding of hip hop and street dance with their Dance teacher Sam Wood Rawnsley. The outcome of this learning…

Bright and early on a Sunday morning thirteen dedicated performers and their Drama Kaiako headed off to this year’s SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn Regional Shakespeare Festival 2023, hosted…

In the final week of 2022, our Arts Departments shared a very special celebration of Junior Arts here in TAPAC theatre. Our foyer and theatre were filled for two sold…

Extended Greetings from Rangitoto, Despite the disruptive start to the year, it has been a whirlwind of activity as students have settled into the first term - introducing them to…

This year we are fortunate to have four new creative and driven Arts Leaders joining our team. Oliver Burton, Oscar Lyons, Ruby Judson, Isabella Benson. Hi! I’m Bella, one of…

The Top Dance Scholar for NZ in 2022 was our very own dance student Minh Anh Tran. Congratulations Minh Anh on this huge achievement! We also celebrate the success of…

Congratulations to Nina Somerville, who as a member of the Young Shakespeare Company of New Zealand will be performing at the Globe Theatre in London next year! Nina was selected…

After two years of cancelled events, the Springs Dance Department made up for lost time with a buzzing array of events - trips, performance opportunities, guest tutors and more! Trips…

On Thursday 29th of September 2022, a sold-out performance in the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Aotea Centre showcased original works of haka theatre through Autaia - a unique blend…

Skill building, creating, connecting, refining, rehearsing and much more! It has been a busy term here at WSCW in all of the Arts learning spaces. This term has seen many…

Congratulations to Archie Crayford and Finlay Trelease-Hughes (Team Shole)! Their film 'Maybe Crazy' made for the 48Hours 2022 Film Competition was nominated for Best School Team Award in the Auckland…

It’s Showtime! At the end of term two we warmly invited whānua, kaiako and tauira to our Junior Arts showing in the school hall. This new event aimed to give…

Western Springs College won first place in both the solo/duo, and band sections of the SmokefreeRockquest Auckland Central regional finals! Huge congratulations to This Machine Means Murder who won the bands…

WSCW success at SmokefreeRockquest Auckland heats - bands and solos On Saturday afternoon (11 June 2022), 27 bands from 15 Auckland Central schools made lots of noise, pumping out original…

Exciting news... Two 2021 Alumni have had their Level 3 Art Design portfolios selected to tour as a part of the 2022 NZQA Top Art Exhibition. Congratulations on your success…

  2022 Arts – Exploring, creating, refining and designing! This year started with navigating the current landscape of covid protection framework in relation to each one of our Arts areas.…

Tēnā koutou katoa Samantha Wood Rawnsley connecting in for our final 2021 ArtsNews. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the creativity and adaptability of our dedicated arts Kaiako and ākonga.…

Tēnā koutou katoa It has been another busy term in the all Arts areas of Western Springs College Ngā Puna O Waiōrea. I would like to take this moment to…

Tēnā koutou katoa It has been a busy time in the Drama department preparing eight groups of students for the SGCNZUOSW Regional Shakespeare Festival Auckland West. Last Sunday we took…

Tēnā koutou katoa Samantha Wood Rawnsley connecting in as Arts Coordinator for 2021. I am excited to hold this space that supports and celebrates the rich learning happening in the…

The end of term is fast approaching and for our seniors this is a crucial time as they look ahead to completing their courses of study. It has been fantastic…

Re Collect is a selection of the best from Western Springs College - Ngā Puna o Waiorea Dance students at NCEA Levels 1-3, Scholarship Dance and Year 10. This programme…

The Ken Havill Centre for Learning is an incredible new building and learning space that all students are exploring and enjoying as well as teachers. New spaces, new resources, new…

STOP PRESS....Congratulations!! Congratulations to our band Park Rd on making it through to the National Final of SmokefreeRockQuest 2019. This recent achievement follows on from their success at the regionals and takes…

Wonderful end of term news! A huge congratulations to Amy Morrin, Hattie Salmon, Niamh Maher, Sian Azariah, Grace Thevenard and Sienna Davidson, Y13, for winning the SGCNZ University of Otago…

Drama students are very busy directing and rehearsing 5 and 15 minute extracts from Shakespearean plays in preparation for the annual Auckland West - Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival in April…

The Junior Arts Festival 2018 Friday 16th November – next week! Showing: 3.30pm and 5.30pm TAPAC Theatre and Foyer - Western Springs College Students, families, friends and staff are invited…

  Term 3 is abuzz with final showcases of senior work in dance, drama and music. Art rooms and digital suites are a hive of activity as senior students begin…

2–19 October It’s a clever and colourful re-telling of a classic - Beauty & the Beast as you’ve never seen before!  TAPAC is teaming up with The Stage Company to present…

Drama productions have been in full swing! Following on from Y13 production of Animal Farm at the end of last term we’ve recently seen the end of production season with…

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, HOW AND LEAST IMPORTANTLY WHY? By Oscar Perress Furness-Wills – Y13 2017 This work is based on the general work of novelist Franz Kafka, as well as his…

Our theatre extravaganza The Addams Family – A New Musical has just concluded at TAPAC Theatre and what an incredible show it was! The Addams Family had sold-out audiences coming…

Year 12 and 13 Dance students at YouDance, the Auckland secondary school dance festival, L-R: Huiarangi Te Kare, Malcolm Williams, Christophe Bate, Harmony Walker Takai, Georgia Menhennet, Kalea Tairi, Jae Lee…

Spectacular Theatre! 'The Addams Family.' Where to begin? What a superb piece of musical theatre. The ensemble work, directed by Cherie Moore was exceptional across both casts. The band, led…

  Western Springs College presents ‘The Addams Family’ - a spectacular musical comedy from the writers of the multi award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, with music and lyrics by TONY…

This term is ending with wonderful news from Drama who have recently performed at the Auckland West Regional University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival. A huge congratulations to Alice…

Greetings from the Visual Art Department At the time of writing the juniors classes are busy finishing off the term with expressive paintings, sgrafitto works and printmaking.  Check out Y6…

Shakespeare Globe Centre of New Zealand, University of Otago, Sheilah Winn Festival On Wednesday April 4, four groups performed at The West Auckland Regional Shakespeare Festival. All our performers were…