College choirs add voices to Spectacular

The Wairarapa College Armonia Dolce senior girls' choir. PHOTO/NATHAN CROMBIE

Choirs from several Masterton schools will light up the stage on Friday at the inaugural Vocal Spectacular at Wairarapa College.

College head of music Belinda Carey said four choirs from the school and choirs from Chanel College and Rathkeale/St Matthew's Senior College will together offer a combined schools concert at the Wairarapa College hall on Friday night from 7pm.

She said the students rehearsing for the Vocal Spectacular will be competing at the annual two-day Big Sing New Zealand Choral Federation Secondary Schools Choir Festival at the Micheal Fowler Centre in the capital from Wedenesday, June 8.

"The students in the choirs are rehearsing for the Big Sing in a few weeks so this is a chance to get on stage beforehand and see what other Masterton colleges are doing as well."

She said during the concert up to 80 students from WaiCol will take the stage, choir by choir, along with numerous students from the other participating schools. Entry will be by gold coin donation.

The combined concert comes ahead of a series of lunchtime concerts at WaiCol spotlighting 15 acts to help celebrate New Zealand Music Month. The concerts will run Monday to Wednesday and will feature "everything from Bollywood dancing, to a Samoan group, to original compositions, to the school jazz band".

"Each item will have a New Zealand theme.

"The school has always done something for New Zealand Music Month but this time we thought we'd broaden things out and encompass the multi-cultural aspects of the school as well. We're hoping that this will grow and will be even more inclusive, and have food and all sorts of things."