Brazilians love their music and international scholarship student and keen trumpet player, Iago Machado Alves – who is spending two terms at Paraparaumu High School – is no exception.
His host mother, Joanna Piatek, was looking for a musical outlet for Iago – and thought of Kāpiti Brass. The outcome: Iago will help the band launch its 2025 three-concert season on Sunday 27 April.
Sixteen-year-old Iago plays trumpet in a band in his home-town of Antonina in southern Brazil. He is one of 11 Brazilian students studying at Paraparaumu High.
“He practices his trumpet most days,” says Joanna Piatek. “I could tell he was missing playing with his family and in the band, they play in back in Brazil.
“So, my brain went into think mode – and I thought of Kāpiti Brass. I asked if it would be possible to bring him to rehearsals as a way of getting him out to potentially do some interactive practice.”
The answer was yes, and in spite of as yet finding the English language a challenge, Iago fitted in well and is going home happy.
“We are delighted to have Iago with us while he is in Kāpiti,” says Kāpiti Brass President, Mark Thirkell. “He’s made quite an impression since he joined us.”
Iago played in the Kāpiti Brass cornet section for its April concert, Kāpiti Brass Plays the Klassics – a mixture of classical and modern favourites adapted for brass band.
He started playing trumpet four years ago. He comes from a musical family that often plays together. His father is a music teacher who plays French horn, his mother is a teacher who plays flute and his 11-year-old sister plays trombone.
Kāpiti Brass has been entertaining the Kāpiti community and playing on significant ceremonial occasions for the past 35 years.
Story and Photo by Kevin Ramshaw
