Paraparaumu College’s It’s Showtime charity concert is an annual success

A high energy performance of the song It's Raining Men. Photo / Jack Penman

Southward Theatre was a sellout for Paraparaumu College’s It’s Showtime charity concert.

The concert, on Thursday last week, was so popular that people were keen to stand at the back of the theatre to watch.

“The Amadeus orchestra was so polished the audience said afterwards that it was better than most professional orchestras,” concert organiser Adele Cherrill said.

“Dancers, singers, soloists, jazz band and guitarists were in top form, creating an atmosphere of pure enjoyment and uplifting the audience beyond measure. The piano concertos and performers were awe-inspiring and left the audience speechless.

Some of the inspiring orchestra members. Photo / Jack Penman

“The concert ended with an out-of-this-world rendition of Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance that had the audience singing and crying at the same time.”

Cherrill said, “It was a dazzling evening and the concert raised nearly $8000 for cancer charities.

“People told me they would ‘have paid $100 for the tickets’ and ‘they had never been to a concert more beautiful than this in all their life’.

“It was a wonderful evening that has helped to make a difference to our young people involved, to the audience and for the charities.

“I am so looking forward to next year’s concert and I know that I am not the only one.”

She praised the college’s director of music, Merrick Stein, describing him as “a true icon for our community, giving the gift of music to make the world a more enriched and beautiful place to live”.