Rotorua Boys’ singers excited to share talent
Best upper North Island secondary school choirs will soon have their voices resonating
Rotorua Boys’ High School choristers are looking forward to sharing their energy, talent and enthusiasm at the Upper North Island Cadenza.
Singers from 12 of the best secondary school choirs in the upper North Island, including the Raukura Choir from Rotorua Boys’, will have their voices resonating through Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre on Sunday August 21 and Monday August 22.
Cadenza is a two-day competition where the 12 choirs compete against and sing with each other.
The Gala Concert on the Monday is a culmination of these two days and a feast of music as each choir presents a song individually, as well as performing together in a large massed choir.
Cadenza is organised by the NZ Choral Federation and has grown out of The Big Sing competition.
Raukura Choir director Elisha Hulton says she is really proud of the boys’ hard mahi.
She says they have practised every Thursday after school for the past three to four months, and to reach Cadenza is a credit to their talents and hard work.
Elisha says she enjoys the level of camaraderie with other colleagues from around the upper part of the
North Island at the Cadenza, and sharing each other’s passions in singing and teaching.
She says it has been full on preparing for Cadenza, as the boys have been involved in many other commitments too.
This includes the production In the Heights, some getting ready for kapa haka nationals in September, and some preparing for Dancenzmade.
Choir member Igor Da Silva says it felt great when they found out they had been selected for the Cadenza, as it is another opportunity to show their talent as a group.
“We are ready to bring our next game and do even better.”
He believes Cadenza is a great way for people to meet others who are into the same things as they are.
“We have a lot of different cultures and are a very diverse choir group.
“Expressing different cultures in our group is one of my favourite things we do.”
Raukura Choir has been selected for the Upper North Island Cadenza previously too, and member Hunter Geary says it has been a new experience being there with everyone and performing.
He says during the Gala Concert people can feel the support in the room, and it is cool seeing everyone give support while having fun too.
Hunter says he enjoys the brotherhood and bonds created in the choir. “We are basically like family, and that makes us perform that much better.”
Choir member Meleki Schuster says what he enjoyed about Cadenza in the previous year was watching other schools and seeing the interpretation of their own choirs.
“We did songs connected to our culture and they did more traditional choir songs.”
He says most of their members were in In the Heights, which was a chance to really extend their voices and helped practise for choir as well.
“I enjoy getting to sing and have fun with friends, and be on stage.
“I think our choir has a lot of energy and enthusiasm, especially when performing, and I think that stems from us having a great relationship and having fun while doing it.”
Choir member Josh Bravo says they were pretty hyped up when they found out they had made it into the Cadenza.
He says they had been hoping to go to the Finale, but Cadenza is still great and they are definitely excited to bring out new voices and categories along with their original songs.
Josh also enjoys the brotherhood among the choir. There is a lot of hard work involved in getting selected for the Cadenza event.