Yesterday, for the fifth year running, the Girls’ School Performers’ Choir received an award at the New Zealand Choral Federation’s Kids Sing music festival. With stiff competition this year, our Performers’ Choir managed to secure a Bronze award. The choir is in its fifth year competing in the Primary/Intermediate category, going up against 35 different primary and intermediate schools. 

The Saint Kentigern Girls’ School Performers’ Choir was formed to meet the growing number of girls who were interested in singing more complex vocal pieces and the challenges that such music provides. This choir is an auditioned group now with 32 members from Years 6 to 8. The girls meet once a week during lunchtime to rehearse together. The choir looks forward to this annual competition and see it as a challenge to hone their vocal skills and appreciate what other choirs share at this event. 

The requirements for the competition state that each choir must sing the same test piece, as well as two other songs, one of which must be written by a New Zealand composer. This year’s test piece was ‘She Sings’ by Amy Bernon, which is a song centred around a child who loves to sing during the day while playing and at night cries for those who have never loved and for those who never sing. 

The girls also performed ‘When my Mother Sings to Me’ by David Hamilton with text by New Zealand’s, Deirdre McOnie. This piece is written from the perspective of a child, the poem tells of a mother singing to her child, and the memories it evokes. In the song, music is seen as an essential and permanent bond between the two generations. The girls’ final piece was ‘Whisper’ by Greg Giplin, an enjoyable piece that pokes fun at those who think a library is a sacrosanct quiet place. 

The Performers’ Choir is conducted by music teacher, Nicola Brown and accompanied by Dr Michael Jenkins on piano. Following their performance yesterday morning, the girls returned last night to sing at the Gala Concert, where they were awarded the Bronze award. 

The competition was adjudicated by Jayne Tankersley, who is a soprano, choral director and vocal teacher. The singers are critiqued on intonation, tone and blend, staging and presentation, vocal technique, diction and interpretation. 

Congratulations to the Performers’ Choir on another outstanding year at the Kids Sing music festival.

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• Music

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