Two Waimakariri high schools, Rangiora and Kaiapoi, have achieved outstanding success at the annual Southern Jam Youth Jazz Festival in Blenheim.

Rangiora High School's Jazz Combo  —  Lola Halliwell, aged 18, Caleb Bell, aged 17, Ollie Read aged 17, Louis Hector, aged 16 and Ella Paterson, aged 15 —  won the Best Jazz Combo Award and topped that off with the Supreme Overall Winner Award at the festival earlier this month.

Two members of the band also won individual awards.

Ollie, who is the band leader and lead guitarist, won the Most Outstanding Guitarist Award and drummer Caleb, won the Most Outstanding Small Group Drummer Award.

The pupils paid tribute to their inspirational music teacher Luke Belcher for his part in their success which included stepping in to join the combo on stage during their Gala Concert performance on the final night of the festival, when Lola was unable to play due to illness.

``He is a great teacher and knows exactly what we need to do to keep improving," the pupils said.

They love playing jazz and want to keep playing together as a group, but acknowledge jazz is not generally recognised as a popular music choice for teens.

However, they recommend other young people should try listening to popular Icelandic jazz/pop/classical fusion singer/songwriter Laufey to see if it is a music form they might enjoy too.

Kaiapoi High School’s Jazz Guys — Josh Metzger, Liefke Stakenburg, Nikau Latham, Ruby Johnson, and Tualagi Iona —  also had a festival to celebrate winning the Most Promising Band Award and placing third overall in the jazz combo category.

However, the  “absolute highlight" of the festival for them was Liefke winning the Best Overall Vocalist Award, said one of the school’s teachers, Will Baxter.

The August 4 to August 8 festival, which was well supported by the Blenheim community, included 12 schools and 19 jazz combos, ensembles and big bands with more than 200 pupils from all around the South Island taking part.

Each band performed live gigs in schools, libraries, cafes wineries and hotels around Blenheim during the festival and then had to play their five chosen songs to the judges in a 30-minute time frame.

They also attended a 45-minute master class with the judges, took part in workshops during the festival and played in a Gala Concert held in Blenheim’s Whitehaven Theatre on the final night.

The Waimakariri public will get the opportunity to see and hear the Rangiora High School Jazz Combo perform live at the school’s annual showcase event at the school on September 23 and 24.

The talented young musicians have also been invited to perform at a Sunday, September 6, function being held by the Waimakariri District Council to celebrate the Rangiora Town Hall’s centenary.