- By Year 8 BBI pupil Soeul Kim
Bucklands Beach Intermediate had a very special visitor recently.
Jon Toogood, from the renowned New Zealand rock band Shihad visited, and the entire school was buzzing with excitement.
The Year 8’s and the Kapa haka group gave him a warm welcome and were honoured to have him visit.
The highlight of his visit was the collaboration with the school rock band. They dedicated two mornings to practice with Jon, and the hard work paid off when they took to the stage.
It wasn’t perfect, but the effort and teamwork were truly inspiring. The band thanked Jon for guiding and inspiring them, and to Mr David Ashby for leading the School of Rock band initiative.
Jon also took the time to visit the school choir group and share his expertise. The students presented their song Listen to the Wind and received valuable feedback on vocal warm-ups, projection, and blending.
It was an incredible opportunity for them to showcase their talents and learn from a music industry veteran and hall of fame inductee.
In addition to the music sessions, Jon shared his songwriting process with the students, encouraging them to express themselves through music.
The results were truly impressive, as students poured their interests, feelings, and thoughts into their compositions. Some had the chance to perform their original songs, making it a truly exciting and fulfilling experience.
The BBI radio station, ‘The Wave 88.1,’ was thrilled to interview Jon Toogood. The students asked insightful questions, and Jon’s experienced answers made it an engaging and informative session.
The students who had the opportunity to work with Jon were truly fortunate, and Jon enjoyed his time at BBI as much as the school did.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Jon Toogood for his valuable insights and for making the experience unforgettable, while inspiring a new generation of songwriters and rockers.
