If you would like to join HBO, please email Orchestra Manager Alice Sip hboplayers@gmail.com. Please include your contact phone number, instrument, skill level and information on your previous orchestral/band/chamber music experience.

Join HBO - information for players

We welcome new players to join us. If you’d like to play with us, please read the information below, which outlines the requirements, ‘rules’, who’s who, required skill level, and other helpful info about the orchestra.

HBO is a collection of local orchestral musicians, and our numbers are boosted by professionals we bring in for each concert.

We are a Charitable organisation and rely on funding to keep us solvent. Players are required to pay an annual sub of $120

The main players:

• Alice Sip                      HBO President

• José Aparicio              Music director / conductor

• Alice and José are supported by the HBO executive (committee). The committee is here to support you, answer questions or resolve issues. 

Your 2025 committee is:

• Alice Sip                      Viola | Violin                hboplayers@gmail.com

• Helena Kerr                 Violin                           nzkerrs@yahoo.co.nz

• Teresa Cuthbert         Clarinet                       tcuthbert@napiercentral.school.nz

• Bronwyn Watson        Flute                            bronwynwatson99@gmail.com

• Kathy Brenstrum        Double Bass              kathy@dcpc.co.nz

• Sarah Cameron          Cello                            sarah@sarahcameron.co.nz

Rehearsals

• We rehearse every Wednesday night, usually 7pm-9pm at St Paul’s church in Napier. Sometimes in summer we extend the time to 9.30pm but include a half-hour tea break.

• Players can opt not to play in certain concerts - advance notice is appreciated.

• There is an expectation that you will be able to attend weekly rehearsals - but we understand people get sick, life happens, and people have work commitments, so we allow members to miss up to three rehearsals in each concert cycle.

Rehearsals in the week of the concert must be attended. The rehearsal schedule usually take the following format (subject to change):

• Wednesday     rehearsal 6pm-10pm

• Thursday         rehearsal 6pm-10pm

• Friday              concert (evening)

• Saturday         rehearsal 10am-2pm

• Saturday         concert (evening)

• Sunday            concert (afternoon)

Our concerts

Each year we perform a varied and interesting programme of concerts. These are explained in more detail below. Napier Civic Choir contracts HBO to play in their concerts. This is a formal arrangement as Napier Civic Choir funds the concerts and we are required to adhere to their rules. The other concerts are ones we put on and fund ourselves.

Napier Civic Choir concerts (x4 weekends per year). These are usually held on a Friday night and repeated on the following Sunday afternoon. An orchestral concert is held on the Saturday night of these musical weekends.

HBO presents its own concerts, often for ‘koha’, throughout the year. These are funded by HBO and happen outside of the Napier Civic Choir concert weekends. We usually include a Christmas concert.

New players

There is a process that musicians who would like to join HBO must go through. HBO is a Charitable organisation so has rules and regulations to ensure it remains compliant with NZ Charities Services.

To be considered to play in HBO, the following applies:

• If secondary school students would like to apply to play with HBO, they must have passed the Grade 8 exam in their chosen instrument.

• For adults over 18, an equivalent or near-equivalent level of skill is expected.

• The Orchestra Manager and committee reserve the right to address behaviour or ability issues should they arise.

If you would like to join HBO, please email Orchestra Manager Alice Sip hboplayers@gmail.com. Please include your contact phone number, instrument, skill level and information on your previous orchestral/band/chamber music experience.

Housekeeping

• Players must provide their own stands for rehearsals.

• Please allow enough time to arrive and set up so rehearsals can start promptly.

• Players must come to rehearsals equipped with pencils for marking, and appropriate instrument accessories such as mutes.

• Stands are provided for concerts.

• Sconces (lights) and sound shields, where needed, are provided for concerts.

• Music scores are hired and must be returned after each concert. Bronwyn is the orchestra’s librarian. Please respect the scores.

• If you are unable to make a weekly rehearsal, please advise Bronwyn as soon as possible on 020 4092-3533.

• Locals are not paid to play in HBO. However, we do pay a nominal amount to visiting professional players. We contract players primarily from Orchestra Wellington, CSO (Christchurch Symphony), APO, NZSO, Bacha Musica, and graduates from the Schools of Music in Auckland and Wellington.