Choir
The Big Sing 2011
The Big Sing is the national competition run by New Zealand Choral Federation for secondary school choirs. This year there were 8500 students involved singing in 250 choirs. Regional Festivals are held from which the top 18 choirs go through to the national finale.
In the Waikato/ Bay of Plenty Festival there were 17 choirs participating.
This was the first time St Paul’s entered the competition. Each choir is required to sing three pieces in the categories of Classical composer before 1930, New Zealand Composition and Twentieth Century composer or style.
The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Festival was held in the amazing new Performing Arts Centre at Bethlehem College in Tauranga. The adjudicator was Judy Bellingham from Otago University. Choirs were called to warm-up rooms two items before their performance and had no opportunity to rehearse on the stage. Consequently the acoustics and piano were unknown quantities until facing the full auditorium.
After a chilly early morning bus trip the St Paul’s Choir watched the first four choirs before being sent off to rehearse in a classroom below the foyer. This was quite frantic and only added to the nerves.
Although we had an impressive programme on the day a lack of focus resulted in some unexpected mistakes. In spite of this the overall impression was of a strong and mature presentation.
At the end of the day the Choir received the award of ‘Best European Song’ for their performance of Haydn’s The Heaven’s are Telling the Glory of God.
Big Sing - June 2011
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Choral Eucharist at Waikato Cathedral of St Peter
On Sunday 9 May the St Paul’s Collegiate School Choir replaced the Cathedral Choir for the 9.45am morning service at Waikato Cathedral of St Peter in Victoria Street. The Cathedral is the mother church for the Anglican Diocese in the Waikato. As a new initiative it is planned that the Anglican Schools in the diocese will provide the choir for one service each year.
St Paul’s took the first of these opportunities. Although a leave weekend 26 choristers managed to make the service.
The choir sang all the music for the service with confidence and style. The two anthems, ‘O Come Ye Servants’ and ‘Look at the World’ were particularly successful.
Our contribution was very warmly received and we were congratulated on our fine tone and blend.
Tour of O’ahu Hawai’i Report
St Paul’s Collegiate Choir
Tour of O’ahu Hawai’i Report
April 10-20 2010
31 students and 10 parents accompanied by Mr Francis Cowan and Mrs Adrianne McDowell spent 10 full days in Hawai’i over the second week of the April Holidays.
The choir worked very hard during Term 1 to learn at least 12 anthems and secular songs to take on tour. Most of these were presented at the Choral Concert on the 12 March.
Performances
Performances on tour included a “Flash Sing” on Sunday 11 from 7.00pm. We dressed in No.1 uniform and sang outside the Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in the Coconut Grove, and outside the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant. We attracted a lot of positive attention and started our week on a positive note!
On Monday 12 we first sang at Iolani School which is an Episcopalian (Anglican) Private school of 2800 students. The choir presented a 30 min programme to the advanced choir in their Chorus Room. The Iolani students lead by John Alexander first sang us an original song in the Hawaiian language. They were very appreciative of our choir and both choirs enjoyed the chance to meet and share music. We were given a tour of the school’s amazing facilities following the concert.
After lunch we presented an outdoor performance to the shoppers at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Centre. Parents commented that the students began to understand the significance of being in an international context after the mall announcement describing us being from New Zealand.
On Wednesday 14 we sang in the regular lunchtime series at St. Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral. Although a small audience the response was excellent and the choir mingled after the concert to thank them for attending. Our singing showed development in confidence and presentation.
Thursday was our day for the Pearl Harbor tour. The students singing of ‘Come Ye Servants’ by Christopher Tye on the U.S.S Arizona Memorial was for many the highlight. We gathered in the Shrine next to the marble wall which lists the dead of the Arizona from 7 Dec 1941 and sang brilliantly. Parents report many on the Memorial were moved to tears.
Friday 16 was our lunchtime concert at Ala Moana Centrestage. We sang very strongly and seemed to have raised the bar once again.
On Saturday we sang for the 5.00pm Vigil mass at St Augustine’s by the Sea; the famous Catholic Church in Waikiki. The congregation was delighted by the choir’s contribution.
Although not designed to provide space for a choir we coped tucked away to the side.
Our final service was the Sunday morning Choral Eucharist at St Andrew’s Cathedral. The magnificent gothic Cathedral provided a wonderful setting for the final sing of the tour. We were set a space to sing from the back while the Cathedral Choir took the choir stalls.
Sightseeing included the Bishop Museum with ancient Hawaiian artifacts, volcano exhibits, a circus exhibit and a planetarium. Students really responded to the variety and many took advantage of special programmes such as a Hula lesson.
We arranged the round the island Grand Circle Tour for Tuesday instead of Thursday so we would be able to visit the Arizona Memorial which we discovered was closed on Tuesday.
After the Cathedral concert on Wednesday we visited the Iolani Palace and students took the self guided tour. I was very impressed with the calmness and sense of respect and awe they displayed as they moved about the palace.
Other activities included swimming in the safe area of Waikiki Beach, shopping (lots of this one including several IPads), the Honolulu Aquarium, the Army Museum and climbing Diamond Head for an amazing view.
Meals alternated BBQ at our Hostel, the Waikiki Beachside and meals out. The highlight being Thursday night at Germaine’s Luau, huge fun for all, and Sunday night at Hard Rock Café.
Mr Francis Cowan
Director of Music
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