Burnside High School has flown the flag for Christchurch at the Rockquest national finals with a second-place finish in the solo/duo competition.

Mind The Gap, made up of Burnside head student Alex Gibson and Reiss Fatani, both year 13 students, performed their songs Grow Back Down and Faultlines at the finals in Wellington on Thursday. They were runners-up to Havelock North High’s Lily Moore.

Gibson also won the musicianship award, recognising exceptional musical skill by an individual.

It was the second consecutive year he had won the award, after receiving the same honour last year while playing with Equilibrium, who won the competition. He received $500 as part of the prize.

“I’m thinking of going up to Auckland for uni next year, and I need something to transport my instruments in,” he said.

“It (the money) will probably go towards some protective cases.”

Gibson, 17, said he preferred playing saxophone but was capable on a number of different instruments. At the finals, he played keyboard and sang backing vocals.

“It’s a bit harder to fit saxophones into a duo setting. And I’m in a choir, but you’ll never catch me singing solo on stage. ”

Gibson said both songs had meaningful undertones.

Grow Back Down was about “the anxieties of growing older and leaving everything you know behind for the pressures of adult life”, while Faultlines was “a reflection on the Christchurch earthquakes and how the city has been rebuilt as a result of this”.

Judge Chris Mac, bassist for Six60, said he was impressed by their musical style.

“Mind the Gap are just so cool. For as many years as I’ve been involved with Rockquest, I think their song about the Christchurch earthquakes was the most impressive I’ve ever heard. It’s an ambitious theme, and musically ambitious as well.”

Gibson has shows coming up with Equilibrium and plans to study engineering and arts at Auckland University next year.