The week of 21 June, Westlake Schools competed in the Auckland Region Big Sing competition.
The Big Sing Festival is the largest choral competition in the southern hemisphere with around 10,000 high school students singing in 200 choirs around New Zealand. The Auckland regionals is the largest centre with three full days of competition and 60 choirs.
It was a tremendous time of Choral music with outstanding performances by Westlake Girls, Westlake Boys and combined choirs.
- Winner of Best Festival programme by a mixed choir – Choralation (Director Rowan Johnston)
- Winner of Best Festival programme by a female choir – Cantare (Director Fiona Wilson)
- Winner of Best Festival programme by a male choir – Voicemale (Director David Squire)
- Runner up for the Adjudicators Award – Voicemale
- Winner of the Spirit of the Festival award – Cantare
The week before, the choirs had performed to an appreciative crowd in WBHS’s auditorium, along with Nota Bella Junior Choir, WGHS (Helen Acheson), Momentum, WBHS (Warwick Robinson) and Cigno Voce Senior Choir, WGHS (Rachel Carson).
The choirs now wait with great anticipation to see which ones have made it through to the Big Sing Finale in Christchurch during August.
Fiona Wilson (HOD) would like to acknowledge the team involved in the four Westlake Girls choirs: Moira Clarke (Administrator), Cathy Bennett & Rachel Song (Accompanists), James Harrison & Te Ohorere Williams (Vocal Consultants) and Soo Lee (Nota Bella Manager).
