Southern Institute of Technology

A group of SIT | Te Pūkenga Bachelor of Music and Audio Production students will gain a first-hand taste of the realities of life on the road as musicians when they take on their own tour to some out-of-the-way places in the South Island.

The group of eight students who are SIT SOUNZ 2023 and are in final year of their degrees, have been preparing for two-and-a-half months for their four-date tour of the south which starts in Te Anau on June 1^st.

This year’s band comprises Hamish O’Donnell (drums), Lachlan Hickford (guitar), Daniel Aldersley (guitar, saxophone), Megan Hay (vocals), Noak Thomas (vocals), Amee Hope-Johnstone (vocals), Haydn Dyer (vocals, bass), Quillan Percival (keyboard).

The free concerts have been arranged through a combination of connections, timed with events and where the students would like to play, said SIT Music Programme Manager Antonio Mercuri. “The students have short listed the places they want to play, then plan a route on how to get there,”  he said.

There’s usually a larger venue to play, and this year’s big gig is the Steam Punk Festival in Oamaru at King’s Birthday Weekend; the band are making their way via Fiordland and the Mackenzie country to time in with this. The students will be playing well-known classic rock and pop covers. They will receive grades for the organisational process as well as some of the live music. “The annual tour provides an invaluable real-life education for those students who are serious about committing to music as a career,” Mr Mercuri added.

“The experience of putting together and executing a tour is a great opportunity to improve my organisational skills. Also, getting more comfortable with my instrument, and being able to play for a long period of time with a setlist of our favourite songs.”  - Daniel (Guitar, Saxophone).

“I’m looking forward to playing live in front of an audience and getting to do the tour with friends.” - Hamish (Drummer)

The group depart Invercargill on June 1^st, returning on June 5th.