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SING AOTEAROA will be held this year at Labour Weekend (23-26 October) in the city of Rotorua, one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist destinations. First held in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the country’s founding treaty, Sing Aotearoa made four successful triennial appearances before going into abeyance. Nearly a decade later the Board of the New Zealand Choral Federation has decided to revamp the festival, retaining its strong multicultural identity while at the same time adding an international flavour. SA09 has already attracted 16 performing choirs, an exciting range of NZ and overseas presenters and a great deal of interest from choral singers throughout Australasia. |
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- Joining the massed choir of 600-800 festival delegates, led by international conductors Simon Carrington (UK/USA) and Sanna Valvanne (Finland/USA)
- Learning more about choral music at over 30 workshops, seminars and masterclasses on choral skills, vocal technique, language, conducting, concert presentation, repertoire, choir administration and more, given by leading NZ and international practitioners
- Hearing some of NZ’s top choirs in concert, including Voices New Zealand, Viva Voce, The Graduate Choir and V8 Vocal Ensemble
- Enjoying a choice of 16 lunchtime recitals around Rotorua city by choirs from around the country
- Performing a brand new choral work by Anthony Ritchie, commissioned by the SA09 festival for the massed choir
- Acquiring new recordings and choral materials from our music trade stalls
- Meeting, re-connecting and exchanging ideas with fellow singers and conductors
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Rotorua is a special and iconic place. SA09 will be taking in some cultural highlights such as performances by a top Māori kapa haka group from Rotorua, a festival powhiri at Ohinemutu’s Tamatekapua Marae, a hangi (feast) and Māori cultural experience at the marae, along with talks and workshops on Māori musical culture. There will also be an optional ecumenical church service on the Sunday morning in beautiful St Faith’s Church at Ohinemutu. |
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The festival’s signature event will be the ‘Geyser Sing’ at the internationally famous Pohutu Geyser. After a short talk about key landmarks of the area, the combined choir of over 600 voices will be conducted by our international conductors.
Here at Te Puia the earth’s crust is at its thinnest and over 500 mudpools, fumaroles and vents, each with its own name, are found on the site. Three geysers remain active and the most famous, Pohutu (big explosion), can send water and steam 30 metres into the air. |
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Simon Carrington (UK/USA)
GUEST CONDUCTOR
Currently the director of the Yale Schola Cantorum and professor of choral conducting at Yale University, Simon was a creative force for 25 years with the internationally acclaimed British vocal ensemble The King’s Singers, which he co-founded at Cambridge University. He maintains an active schedule as a freelance conductor and choral clinician, leading workshops and master classes around the world.
www.simoncarrington.com |
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Sanna Valvanne (Finland/USA)
GUEST CONDUCTOR
Sanna is an innovative children’s and youth choir conductor from Finland, currently based in the USA. She is recognized worldwide for her creative choral method “Making Music Body and Soul”, which combines vocal expression with movement and drama. Apart from her role in music education, Sanna is a singer, songwriter and actor – a truly versatile performer.
www.sannavalvanne.com |
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John Rosser (New Zealand)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
A professional conductor and singer, John is Associate Conductor and Chorus Master for NBR New Zealand Opera. He was a founder member of both the National Youth Choir and the New Zealand Singers, and in 1985 formed the chamber choir Viva Voce, which he still directs. He is the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Choral Federation’s Governance Board.
www.vivavoce.org.nz |
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Anthony Ritchie (New Zealand)
COMPOSER
Dunedin-based Anthony Ritchie is a senior lecturer in composition at Otago University and is one of New Zealand’s most eminent and prolific composers. He has written over 140 works, a growing number of which are being performed overseas. In 2009 he has had new works performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the wind ensemble Zephyr.
www.anthonyritchie.co.nz |
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Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir
Voices was formed in 1998 under Karen Grylls as a nationally-selected ensemble of the highest calibre. Voices, which includes some former members of the NZ Youth Choir, provides a chamber choir, flexible in size and capable of performing a wide repertoire.
www.youthchoir.org.nz |
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The Graduate Choir, New Zealand
The Graduate Choir, established by Terence Maskell in 2001, has been referred to as “one of Auckland’s best-kept secrets”. The choir is noted for its accessible programming, for its musical integrity, and for the warmth and breadth of its sound.
www.graduatechoir.co.nz |
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Viva Voce
Since its inception in 1985, Viva Voce has gained a reputation for injecting vitality into the NZ choral scene. Through the innovative programming of a huge variety of music, Viva Voce, directed by founder John Rosser, strives for the twin goals of excellence and entertainment.
www.vivavoce.org.nz |
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V8 Vocal Ensemble
V8 has sung a wide variety of music for more than a decade, from Renaissance madrigals to pop hits. Recently the ensemble has focused on music written for smaller groups, such as the King’s Singers and the Swingle Singers.
www.myspace.com/v8vocalensemble |
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THE BIG SING Invitation Choir
THE BIG SING is a New Zealand phenomenon, a vastly popular annual secondary school choral competition involving some 7,000 students from around 250 choirs. This year, a top-performing choir from the Finale will make a guest appearance at SA09. |
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