Source: Wellington.scoop
Review by Felicity Wong
The “loudest thing I’ve ever heard” said the compere of the Big Sing Finale Gala Concert, Nick Tipping of RNZ. It was the cheering, whooping and shrieking of hundreds of secondary students packing the MFC between performances of their fabulous choral art.
Overflowing with youthful energy and positivity, their glorious concert on Saturday night is available on the Big Sing You Tube site – absolutely worth listening to. Their superb and highly diverse performances were being live streamed, and will be repeated on RNZ on 13 September at 8pm.
The performances included creative new works from Aotearoa New Zealand youth composers, and songs from around the world. There were glorious reo Māori and Pacifica songs and several Scandinavian ones, including a gold award performance by Westlake Boys High School of a Nordic whaling song, performed as if in boats, with small lights twinkling in the dark. There were Malaysian and Indonesian folk songs of love and work, and from Japan (about drinking too much).
The sheer polish and quality of singing was terrific.
Brisbane conductor and festival director Adjudicator Paul Holley gave high praise to the standard of the singing. He had been here in 2011 and was “blown away” by the standard of the secondary school age students with their pursuit of excellence.
Holley commended the New Zealand Choral Federation (NZCF) for the “remarkable standard” of the finale. He recognised the conductors and educators who had guided the students, encouraged them and given them the chance to excel. He had been transported to all parts of the world, sitting in children’s games in Asia and in rain in the sky in his own country. He lauded the “marvellous” Māori and Pacific songs and celebrated young people making excellent music.
“The community” he said “is better when making music together and pursuing choral art”.
All 24 choirs had been polished in presenting 48 songs over four days, 10 of them in te reo Māori. The choirs awarded gold award status were:
Bel Suono, Waikato Diocesan School, Hamilton (“Lauadate Dominum” – Egil Hovland, Director Maria Colvin);
The Centennial Choir, Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland (“Let All Men Sing” – Keith Christopher, Director Terrance Maskell);
Voces Luce, Queen Margaret College, Wellington (“El Vito” – trad. Andalusian, arr. Joni Jenson, Director Mark Stamper);
Euphony, Kristin School, Auckland (Psalm 23, Op.132 – Frank Schubert, Director David Squire);
Choralation, Westlake Girls’ High School & Westlake Bous’ High School, Auckland (“Cantus Gloriosis” – Jozef Swidden, Director Fiona Wilson);
Cantare, Westlake Girls High School, Auckland (“Kotoba-asabi Uta” – Ko Matsushita, Director Fiona Wilson);
Fortisimo, Dilworth School Auckland (“The Word Was God” – Rosephanye Powell, Director Jacob Moore);
and
Voicemale, Westlake Boys High School, Auckland (“Frobisher Bay” – James Gordon arr. Diana Loomer, Director David Squire.
The winning composition in the NZCF-SOUNZ Choral Composition Competition 2024 was “A Winter’s Evening” by Jesse Wallace, a year 11 student at Palmerston North Boys High School.
The winning composition in the SOUNZ-NZCF Te Reo Māori Choral Composition Award 2024 was “Te Oriori o Hine-Nui-Te-Po” by Elizabeth Te Puni (Ngati Porou and Taranaki), a year 13 student at Tawa College.
The significant award for the best performance in reo Māori was made to Blue Notes, Tawa College, Wellington (“Nga Atua Māori” – Jack Baker and Te Kurahuia, Director Isaac Stone). Adjudicator Toni Huata said it had been difficult to judge as all the 10 reo Māori songs were “announced and performed beautifully” but the award was made on the criteria being a mix of composition, singing, reo Māori and performance and execution. The Blue Notes’ performance was superb.
The Audience Impact Award for the performance which moved or entertained the audience the most went to Rewaken Polycation Choir, Manurewa High School, Auckland (“Vi’i o ‘A’oga Maualuga o Manurewa” – Bronson Tamafaiga Moeatea Seiuli, arr. John Lafaele, Tusi-Saylie Mose and Lea’aesola Vuna, Director Lea’aesola Vuna). The school song was passionate, beautifully harmonious, intricate and uplifting.
There was a massed item to finish (“O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana” – Carl Orff, conducted by Brent Stewart), and then the national anthem. It was cry-time when New Zealand’s biggest choral event, going for over 30 years, ended. Around 8,000 young people from over 200 secondary schools had taken part in regional festivals, leading up to these National Finale in Wellington. Many of the top choirs tour overseas and represent New Zealand choral music internationally.
Well done NZCF and SOUNZ for hosting this glorious choral festival.