Students ready to share talents
Accelerando programme holds its prizegiving
This year has been a jampacked one for a programme which focuses on helping students to immerse themselves in vocals and stagecraft. And an exciting end-of-year celebration is giving the Rotorua Accelerando 2022 students an opportunity to share their talents alongside a prizegiving.
The Rotorua Accelerando Programme 2022 Prize Giving Concert is on tomorrow from 2pm to 5pm at Otonga School Hall.
The programme involves a group of students spending a week together immersed in vocal and stagecraft tuition under the tutelage of worldrenowned experts.
They then go on to showcase their talents and fundraise along the way for future programmes.
The programme is delivered under the Youth Opera Aotearoa Trust — a charitable trust that supports young high school performers to develop vocal excellence in classical voice and other genre, and to set them on their music journeys.
Trust chairwoman Liz Carrington says the prizegiving concert will include ensemble and solo performances, showcasing the students’ work and progress throughout this year.
Some of the awards include the Youth Opera Aotearoa Award for an overall winner/most improved, three age groups with Most Promising and Most Improved, and a Spirit of the Programme award.
The 2022 Rotorua Accelerando began in April with the week-long programme. Through Accelerando students have learnt pieces of music which include individual, duo, trio and ensemble, had individual lessons, masterclasses and learnt stagecraft.
They also performed throughout the year at events such as a performance for Age Concern, the Michael Pilaar Memorial Concert and at Matariki.
Liz says the students — who are Years 9 to 13 — really value the programme. There were 27 involved this year.
“They really enjoy getting together with like-minded young people from across the schools, and really look forward to getting together and practising.”
She says quite a few of the students entered the Lockwood New Zealand Aria in the youth age groups.
“It’s really wonderful to be able to celebrate the success of our local youth. It is a real pleasure to see their potential and watch their development.”
She thanks all of the programme’s sponsors that help to make it happen.
Tickets for the Rotorua Accelerando Programme 2022 Prize Giving Concert are available at www.eventbrite. co.nz.