Kapiti female quartets in fine voice
Three Kapiti female quartets were named in the top four of the national Young Singers in Harmony secondary school competition.
Kapiti College’s L.A.S.S. was first, another quartet from the college, The Melodists, was third and Paraparaumu College’s Manawa Bella placed fourth, just two points behind.
Barbershop, harmony singing, is a big part of Kapiti College, but placing twice in the top three is unprecedented.
Members of both quartets were also in the fifth placed chorus.
‘‘This is our first year, as a quartet. Our goal was to come first in nationals by Year 13,’’ L.A.S.S. member Alice Mason, who turned 16 on competition day, said. ‘‘It’s a great birthday present.’’ Held at Porirua’s Te Rauparaha Arena on September 14 and 15, 30 quartets and 16 choruses battled it out for trophies and medals, singing two songs each.
‘‘This is one of the closest contests we’ve ever had,’’ judge Henrietta Hunkin-Tagaloa said. ‘‘Any of the top 10 could have come top three last year.’’
When a Kapiti College quartet was announced as third place, Mason was elated.
But the quartet subsequently called wasn’t L.A.S.S.
‘‘My heart sort of sank,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought, ‘Oh my goodness - where does that leave us’?’’
Another member Lily Rench, 15, said they were really happy for The Melodists, and then L.A.S.S. was named as winner.
The quartet made an excited and hasty beeline to join their third-placed schoolmates on stage, with Rench losing her shoes on the way in the excitement.
The Melodists replaced an injured baritone only a month ago. New member Selena To’o, 17, said she was surprised to medal.
‘‘There must be a mistake – is that actually us,’’ she said when her quartet was named.
They were happy enough with their performance, let alone the third placing.
‘‘I just felt sheer pride – we have worked so hard,’’ Rachel Roberts, 16, said.
Christchurch’s Burnside High School, which had two male quartets in the top four and the winning 90-member chorus, was the top performing school.