Ollie Sharpe at his Jillian Jardine Trophy presentation with, from left, Turn up The Music principal/brass teacher Emma Wilson, trophy donor Jillian Jardine and his first trumpet teacher Chris Stevens, who’s now a music school tutorA very promising Queenstown trumpeter has won the prestigious Jillian Jardine Trophy which Turn Up the Music (TuM) school presents to a talented young musician each year. Ollie Sharpe, 13, who recently passed Grade 5 Rockschool with a strong merit score, started playing at only 7. That’s when then-Remarkables Primary teacher Chris Stevens presented him with a plastic trumpet donated by the TuM trust — ironically he then learned his dad, Stu, also used to play the instrument. He’s been receiving tuition from WHS music teacher Alistair Monteith and TuM principal and brass tutor Emma Wilson. Wilson says Ollie’s ‘‘a delight to teach as he always gives his best effort’’, and she’s super-proud he’ll be first trumpet in WHS’s production of Legally Blonde next month.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 06, 2026 15:03 UTC