Stern challenge for Dunstan choir
A SMALLTOWN school choir will face competition on a very different scale after making the national Big Sing finals.
Alexandra’s Dunstan High School Senior Girls’ Choir learned this week it will head to the national competition at Auckland’s Aotea Centre in August as the only team from the Otago and South Canterbury region. It is the first time a choir from the school has made it to the finals.
Both the 30strong choir, and the school’s larger Dunstanza choir, received highly commended awards at the Otago and South Canterbury Big Sing in Dunedin earlier this month.
Choir coleader Dana Jenkins said it would have to ‘‘step up’’ its game to challenge large urban schools.
‘‘We have one practice a week, but I think we’re going to start doing two.’’
The choir would also need to add two more songs to its repertoire to have the five required for the competition.
‘‘I think the choir gets better every year. We have a good reputation, but we want to beat that reputation.’’
The other choir leader, Holly Taucher, said singing was becoming increasingly popular at the school.
Much of its success could be attributed to their ‘‘passionate’’ conductor John Buchanan, she said.
He trained both choirs with the school’s head of music, Bronwyn Barnes.
Mr Buchanan said it was quite an achievement for a ‘‘little country town’’ choir to compete against large Auckland schools.
‘‘They are doing really well. We’re really proud of them.
‘‘You’ve got schools like Auckland’s Rangitoto College there, which is the country’s largest secondary school, and it’s the first time this school has been in the competition. So they will mainly be trying to do their best and have fun.’’