Thousands of secondary school singers from all over New Zealand took part in the grand final of The Big Sing choral festival, which wrapped up with a sold-out gala concert at the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday night.
More than 280 secondary school choirs entered this year’s competition, with about 9000 students taking part in total. After winning their regional festivals, 24 of the best choirs earned a spot in the three-day finale in Christchurch.
There was no single overall winner this year, but two choirs stood out from the rest: Paradisum from Epsom Girls’ Grammar School and Fortissimo from Dilworth School.
Other choirs to take home gold medals were from Westlake Boys’ High School, Westlake Girls’ High School, Kristin School, St Cuthbert’s College and Mount Albert Grammar School.
A brand-new prize, the Big Sing Pasifika Award, was shared between Paradisum and Fortissimo for their performances of songs in Pasifika languages.
TJ Tuimavave, a singer with St Patrick’s College’s choir Con Anima, said joining a choir had brought the group closer together.
“We felt as if we were strangers, and it’s now come to the point where we feel like family,” he said.
To finish the night, singers from all 24 choirs joined their voices together to perform ‘Hine e Hine’, a Māori song written by Princess Te Rangi Pai.
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