John McGlashan year 9 pupil Ruan Hamman, 14, has been selected for this year’s National Secondary Schools’ Brass Band as a repiano cornet — a complementary position to the solo cornet, the leader of the band.
Ruan said he only began playing the cornet about four years ago when he decided to switch instruments from the violin.
He said cornet was more fun to play because there were more melodies.
Ruan said he began playing cornet with the Mosgiel Brass Band when its musical director Philip Craigie, who was a family friend, offered to teach him how to play it.
"You can just like hear it and it’s quite cool."
He also enjoyed playing more upbeat rhythms in his school’s jazz band.
Ruan said he only played the cornet for a hobby and was taking the opportunities that came along with it.
He was looking forward to travelling to Nelson in October and joining his peers from schools across New Zealand to rehearse and perform concerts in the community.
