CULTURE
MAORI CULTURE/ PERFORMING ARTS
Trident boasts a strong tradition in the learning and participation of Māori Performing Arts and Culture. There is an option to participate in:
- Legends
- Kowhaiwhai
- Mahi-a-rēhia
- Waiata - Pōwhiri
- Māori Performing Arts
- Whakairo
- Manu Kōrero
- Whaikōrero
- Mahi Whakaari
- Mahi-Toi
- Ngāti Awa History
Trident always has competitors in the Junior and Senior Māori, and English Manu Kōrero competition.
Our students perform with distinction and often excel at national level.
MUSIC
Under the guidance of Alex Kim, QSM our musical groups, ensembles and soloists have built a reputation for excellence. The Trident High Big Band has competed in the National Youth Jazz Championships for the last 15 years, regularly winning gold awards for their performances and winning the event overall in regularly. Several of the band soloists have also won “most outstanding performer on their respective instruments.
Many Trident musicians have been selected as members of the National Secondary Schools Brass Band, the National Youth Band, National Secondary Students Choir and the NZ Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Trident music students have also been very successful in the music Scholarship examinations, including Outstanding Scholarships and Top Scholar.
In the last two years we have also seen the emergence of a school choir “Trident Vocals” who have performed at local functions and are hoping to attend the Big Sing Choir competition in 2021.
Free Individual instrumental tuition is available in guitar, bass guitar, voice, violin, cello, drums, woodwind and all brass instruments.
DRAMA & DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS
Trident offers superb facilities, a student based black box theatre with tiered seating, fully functioning theatre lighting and sound system, dance mirrors and a user friendly space. Students are able to learn in all aspects of theatre and stage work, there are performance and technical opportunities at all levels. Students can participate in drama festivals, class plays, theatre sports and school wide productions. In 2020 we staged the major production “Grease”. With more than 70 students participating, this was a wonderful opportunity for students to be involved. Dance is part of the Trident curriculum with a composite class running with students studying from Year 9 and 10, Level 1 to Level 3.
PERFORMANCE & ARTISTS
Quality national and overseas artists, musicians and actors perform at Trident on a regular basis. Students have opportunities to travel to view professional performances, including a 4 day trip to the bi-annual Taranaki Arts Festival, a 3 day trip to Wellington to experience the arts and senior students attend the Reader/Writer Festival in Auckland. Every year students studying Dance, Drama and Music have the opportunity to showcase their work to the public via performance evenings. The Drama classes prepare and present stage productions; directed and staged by the students at each level in Years 11-13.
Electives with a theatre aspect run in Production years, with theatre sport and theatre based activities in non production years.