Covid has diminished participation in secondary school choirs across the region in recent years, but the numbers have started to bounce back.
About 450 pupils from 14 choirs competed in the Otago-South Canterbury regional competition of the Big Sing Secondary Schools Choral Festival in Dunedin yesterday.
Regional event co-ordinator Rosemary Tarbotton said the numbers were up marginally from last year, but still down on pre-Covid pandemic years, when up to 25 choirs would compete in the competition.
"A lot of school choirs were in the process of rebuilding after Covid and they’ve got a lot of young students at the moment, so the schools that would normally put in two choirs, are only putting in one.
"It’s a bit sad, but we’re hopeful that if this year is a bit more normal, then next year will be even more normal and we might see some more choirs."
In spite of the lower numbers, adjudicator Dr Morag Atchison, of Auckland, was impressed with the performances.
The regional event concluded with a gala concert of the choirs at the Dunedin Town Hall last night. The competition continues today with the Southland Regional Festival at First Church, in Invercargill.
Finalists for the Big Sing Finale, on August 25-27 , in Auckland, will be announced later this month.
Award winners
Best performance category 1, New Zealand composition or arrangement: Craighead Diocesan School Choir for The Rainbow.
Best performance category 2, classical composition: The Nautilus Chorale from Otago Girls High School for Jubilant Cicadas.
Best performance category 3, other styles: Polyhymnia from Queen’s and King’s High Schools for Wannabe.
Best performance of a piece in te reo Maori: Polyhymnia from Queen’s and King’s High Schools for E Pari Ra.
Most improved choir not selected to a final in past three years: MAC Choir from Mount Aspiring College.
Conductor/musical director of choir not selected to a final in past three years: Jo Waide.
Student conductor showing most promise: Sophie Hogg, of Craighead Diocesan School.
Tarbotton Award to choir most representative of spirit of festival: Logan Park High School Choir.
