Choir with a difference celebrates 25 years
In 1993, Graeme Young took on the task of creating a choral group with a difference.
Now, 25 years later, the group is still thriving and is definitely still different.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School choir OK Chorale celebrated its 25-year anniversary on Saturday.
To celebrate, the chorus held a reunion concert and Young, the choir director, said a range of ex-members attended.
He said it was nice to have past members coming back and also for people to recognise the success from where they are in the world now.
The choir started between Young and Kate Sawers, now Hays, at Boys’ High in 1993.
After Hays left, Young carried the group on as what was meant to be a six-week teaching role turned into a fulltime job.
Choral singing had a reputation for being stodgy and rigid, and Young said it didn’t need to be. ‘‘The idea was to be funny and have fun and do things that are different and challenging.’’
They pushed the envelope on occasions and Young said that after one rendition of a song called Fat Bottomed Girls, they even received hate mail.
‘‘That’s part of it and over the years we have done things about roadkill – we sang a song about a dead cat.’’
The group had 16 boys in it and Young said they had seen students coming to the school in year 9 who wanted to be part of the group.
‘‘They have seen the guys perform and think ‘that’s cool’.’’
Every year was quite different and this year the group’s latest accolade was taking a silver award at the national Big Sing finale.
After being involved in the group for so long, Young said the different voices that came through were what kept him involved.