Five choirs – all from the North Island - have been awarded gold at the 2019 Big Sing Finale in Dunedin over the weekend.
Twenty-four choirs with more than 800 participants from around the country competed in the premier choral competition for secondary students at the Dunedin Town Hall.
The Big Sing 2019 Photo: Supplied
It culminated with a gala performance on Saturday night.
Tawa College, Westlake Girls’ High School, Westlake Girls’ and Boys’ High Schools, St Cuthbert’s College and Westlake Boys’ High School all received gold from adjudicators Tim Sharp, Madeleine Pierard and James Tibbles.
Among the gold winners, Blue Note choir from Tawa College was also awarded The Big Sing Tour Time award for the best performance of a classical work. Westlake Girls’ High School also won the SOUNZ-NZCF Choral Composition Award, with a composition by Wei Qi Lim titled ‘The Vast Hour’.
Tawa College’s Blue Notes choral director Isaac Stone says he was thrilled with the result from the choir even though they weren’t focusing on winning medals. “The medals are an external factor; we can’t be motivated by them,” he says. “We are motivated by thing we can control… the preparation beforehand and how much we choose to communicate on stage.
“They did exceptionally well this year. I’m proud of them no matter what.”
He says Tawa College has a rich history of singing. “There’s a wonderful atmosphere of gathering skills and giving them back, steadily building up to the level we’re at now,” he says. “It’s a wonderful tradition of singing.”
New Zealand Choral Federation Chief Executive Christine Argyle says she was highly impressed with this year’s turn out.
“The standard of the choirs at The Big Sing Finale never ceases to bowl me over. These are not just the top secondary school choirs in the country, some of these choirs are up there among the best of all our choirs in the country,” she says. “What I love about the event is the way that students are inspired by each others’ performances and are so generous in supporting each other.
“They shout, cheer and give each other standing ovations! Sure, it’s a competition, but the collegiality is amazing and so great to see.”
RNZ Concert will broadcast the Gala Concert at: 3pm Saturday 14 September 2019. To find out how to listen click here.
The full list of winners:
Blue Notes - Tawa College - Gold
Cantare - Westlake Girls’ High School – Gold
Choralation - Westlake Girls’ and Boys’ High Schools – Gold
Saints Alive - St Cuthbert's College – Gold
Voicemale - Westlake Boys’ High School – Gold
All The King's Men - King's College - Silver
Cantatrices - Palmerston North Girls' High School - Silver
Queen Margaret College Chorale - Silver
Resolutions - Rangi Ruru Girls' School - Silver
Con Brio - Villa Maria College - Silver
Wellington College Chorale - Silver
Euphony - Kristin School - Silver
St Cecilia Singers - Diocesan School for Girls - Silver
Takapuna Grammar School Chorale - Silver
Fortissimo - Dilworth School - Silver
Kentoris - Saint Kentigern College - Silver
Leonessa - Takapuna Grammar School – Silver
Macleans College Chorale - Bronze
Craighead Chorale - Craighead Diocesan School - Bronze
Schola - Baradene College of the Sacred Heart - Bronze
Serenata - Rangitoto College - Bronze
Teal Voices - Wellington Girls' College - Bronze
Femme - Southland Girls' High School - Bronze
Cantrices - Christchurch Girls' High School – Bronze
Winners of special awards:
The Hutt City Trophy for Performance of a New Zealand Composition – Voicemale
Auahi Kore Award for Best Performance of a piece using Māori text - Macleans College Chorale
The Big Sing Tour Time Award for Best Performance of a Classical Work - Blue Notes
The Big Sing Youth Ambassadors Award for the choir that best embodies the spirit of the festival – Euphony
SOUNZ-NZCF Choral Composition Award - Wei Qi Lim from Westlake Girls' High School
