When a choir sings together, by the end of the piece, their hearts beat as one. The arts are alive in Tauranga, and they bring different people as well as their experiences together! The Big Sing Regionals is always an exciting time for our Kura, bringing together seventeen schools across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

Luminosa Armonia Chorale is a diverse group of thirty-seven auditioned singers from Year 9 to Year 13 who find joy in perfecting the art of choral singing. Leading up to this massive day, our girls had been preparing with weekend workshops in collaboration with Rowan Johnston, 6 hours at a time, to craft the perfect sound. Choir Director Stephanie Geor shares, “Getting a group of forty students to sing as one body is a huge undertaking, and it is a joy to hear the sound change and refine day-by-day, hour-by-hour as they rehearse. I get huge satisfaction in watching and hearing the growth and seeing the choristers grow together as a team and find joy in being with one another.”

On the day of the competition, our girls proudly represented our Kura and enjoyed the hard work of other schools’ choirs. Last but certainly not least, it was Luminosa Armonia Chorales’ time to sing. Their repertoire featured a beautiful range of music: Herbstlied by Felix Mendelssohn, A Winter Song by David Hamilton, and Cantate Domino by Rupert Lang. A huge congratulations to the soloists Yanni Corsame and Matilda Vahey-Bourne!

Deputy Head Prefect of Arts, Sarah Smith, shares her unwavering optimism and satisfaction with their performance. Reflecting on her experience, she recalls, “In year 9, I was told that ‘choir is like a family,’ and I never believed them until now.”

Following a nail-biting prizegiving, our ākonga came home with a well-deserved Very Highly Commended (Gold) award and the prestigious Best Classical Piece award for Herbstlied!

Their choir director expresses overwhelming pride in the girls’ achievements, stating that she feels “Incredibly, incredibly proud! Proud of who they are as individuals. Proud of the pleasure they bring to their audiences, families and friends, and proud of their endeavours as a team.”

Let us celebrate the tireless work and remarkable accomplishments of our ākonga. The immense time and energy these young choristers dedicated to their craft is commendable. We honour their diligence and wish them the best of luck in the future!