New Zealand Secondary Choir Concert presented by Island Voices Chamber Choir

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Sunday, July 10th, 2016
8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Island Voices Chamber Choir presents the award winning New Zealand Secondary Choir as they start their tour following Kathaumixw. "They are quite a colourful choir...performing many interesting and cultural pieces from their native homeland, as well as many other choices.

When they were here in 2010, they were performing for such packed audiences that they inspired and won the very first People's Choice Award. Definitely a crowd pleaser and an excellent concert choir."

New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir - New Zealand Kathaumixw’s 2016 guest choir will be the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir, winner of Kathaumixw's first People’s Choice Award in 2010. The NZSSC is a national, auditioned choir for secondary school students (aged 13-19). Through excellence, professionalism, collaboration, resilience and advocacy, we aim to extend secondary students’ choral excellence and to develop their leadership capabilities as key contributors to the New Zealand arts sector. Approximately 60 members join for a two year cycle, gathering for a week of rehearsals and concerts every school holiday break (approximately 3 weeks per year).

At the end of the two year cycle, members tour internationally. Musical Director Andrew Withington Andrew has directed the NZSSC since 2008. He is currently studying towards a doctorate in choral pedagogy at the University of Canterbury, NZ, where he also teaches conducting and musicianship. He is in high demand as a choral conductor, adjudicator and clinician and has previously sung in NZ’s national youth and chamber choirs. "A repeat attendee for 2016 is New Zealand's student choir that took three first-place awards in its first Kathaumixw appearance in 2004 for mixed voice youth choir, youth choir and folk and cultural traditions, more than any other choir in the history of the competition. It's a distinction that still stands.

'We feel very honoured and privileged to have been invited to be the guest choir at Kathaumixw 2016,' says Andrew Withington, Musical Director since 2009. 'I first attended in 2004 and then returned in 2010. It's amazing to be attending for a third time to such a fantastic event and to Powell River, which is so beautiful. It will be a great experience for our members to hear high-quality choral music from all over the world.’ Withington adds he is looking forward to sharing unique New Zealand music with the audiences.”