Talented Musician Achieves High Distinction

Former Macleans College student Ben Kubiak from Snell House who left in 2013 has recently completed his Bachelor of Music with Honours at the University of Auckland.

For his honours year he was awarded a University of Auckland Postgraduate Scholarship, along with Taurus Charitable Trust and Hollinrake Memorial Scholarships. This was due to Ben’s high grades for his Bachelor’s degree. He was awarded the Drake Medal for best musicology work for his Honours dissertation and will present his research in a lecture at the university.

He has been offered a Marsden Grant to study for a PHD which he plans to start this year.

Outside of university Ben has been performing in a number of areas. This includes the New Zealand Opera, Auckland Philharmonic Opera and at the Spark Arena with the legendary film composer Hans Zimmer in his first full operatic role. He has toured as a soloist with several groups including Pakuranga Choral, Viva Voce and the Wairua Sinfonietta.

In 2016 he won the Graham Allen Music Theatre Competition, the University of Auckland’s prize for music theatre. Ben has also been directing the music in Tomfoolery at the Howick Little Theatre, working with various brass bands throughout Auckland and accompanying the Auckland Boys’ Choir and the Royal New Zealand Navy Band.