News

Cambridge Armistice Celebrations
9 November 2013

The Victory Dance 9 November in the Cambridge Town Hall during the 2013 Armistice Day celebrations as great with Hamilton Big Band kicking off the evenings entertainment and getting folks up dancing.

Private Function
18 October 2013

Hamilton Big Band is pleased to be playing for a bier festival function this coming October.

If you would like to book us for your function please contact us.

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We were at the Hamilton Jazz Society evening 28 July 2013, Centennial Lounge, Te Rapa kicking off the evening with some great swing tunes.

Sophie Allen Nairn

Sophie Allen Nairn has been the vocalist with the Hamilton Big Band since 2008, and has sung with the band at a variety of clubs, festivals and events.

Her musical highlights to date also include, singing with the Hillcrest High School Scat Choir at the World Rainforest Music Festival in Kuching, Malaysia, 2011.

Sophie enjoys jazz, theatre and also plays keyboard and piano.

In her final year as a student at Hillcrest High School, Sophie, plans to begin a conjoint law and arts degree at Waikato University in 2013. 

When not studying, or playing with the Hamilton Big Band, Sophie also; is Hillcrest High Schools' Arts Captain (2012), sings in the Scat Choir; learns classical ballet, musical theatre, singing, keyboard, piano and enjoys performing in a variety of shows and concert.  A very busy and talented young lady indeed!

Sharon King

Sharon has always had a love of music especially jazz.  She started her musical journey a bit later in life, after her dad bought her an alto sax for her 21st birthday. At that time she was based in the UK, and had lessons at the Trinity college of London with Aubury Frank, as well as private tuition with Claire Williams.  Sharon continued music lessons with Murray Johnson and Ruth Armstrong here in New Zealand, and is very grateful for all who have taught her.  Her only regret is that she didn't take it up sooner!

Sharon is a trained hairdresser, but has always felt this wasn't her true vocation. When she realised she could no longer continue in this field, she pursued her passion in the arts and studied art and advanced craft design at the Waikato Institute of Technology, majoring in textiles.

Since then Sharon has produced paintings and fibre art pieces. Her work can be viewed online at www.artinshazzking.co.nz.  Sharon also works part time for Healthcare New Zealand as a support worker.

Musical highlights include playing clarinet in Waikato Symphonic Band (5 years) and Art Gecko (2 years).  Sharon joined the Hamilton Community of Music in 2011 to resume her alto sax playing, which, by then, she hadn't played in over ten years.  After enjoying being a member of the Hamilton Big Band for many years Sharon is currently pursuing her other artistic talents but stays in touch with us.

John-Paul Geyer (JP)

JP was the drummer for the Hamilton Big Band (HBB) from 2010 to about 2015.

Although he started playing drums at the age of 12, he states he's 'still learning.'  When not providing a much needed rhythm section for the HBB, he plays as a Side Drummer in the Cape Town Highlanders Pipe Band.

JPs also plays guitar and his favourite musical genre is Progressive Rock. His musical 'career' highlights to date include SADF Entertainment Unit, performing in a Rock Tribute Show as well as writing & recording his own song.

JP left HBB for a new life in the big city but is still involved in music and plays in a ZZ Top tribute band among other things.

Avi Holzapfel

Avi played Alto Saxophone with the Hamilton Big Band from 2007 to about 2017.

Stepping up from 2nd sax to one of the 1st saxophone slots, Avi states the highlight of his musical journey has been "Graduating from being super-nervous and paralyzed with stage fright to having fun playing, creating music together with the others in the band and seeing people enjoying it – priceless!"

Avi immigrated from Germany with his partner and 2 kids in 1994, and since then has lived mostly in Hamilton.  He learned to play saxophone rather late in life.  His children joined the Hamilton Community Centre of Music and it was at this stage that Avi became a keen musician himself.

Nowadays, Avi enjoys anything with a good tune, and in particular music that inspires people to get up and dance.

A trained botanist with a Phd at the University of Berlin and Waikato University, Avi works for the Department of Conservation in the capacity of Technical Advisor for threatened species management, now based in the Coromandel.