Experience the energy and joy of secondary school groups from across the motu sing their hearts out over three days in Wellington.
The Big Sing is a regional secondary schools choral festival that attracts the most participants of any New Zealand music event. Taking place in 10 centres, it involves around 8,000 students from over 200+ schools, supported by their families and communities. It is a highlight of the school year, and a rite of passage for young singers from Kaitaia to Bluff.
The Big Sing Finale brings regional finalists together for a three-day sing-off, finishing with the Gala Concert featuring a massed choir performance by over 800 singers, and the prize giving ceremony.
Your MC for The Big Sing Finale Gala 2024 is RNZ Concert Days and Inside Out host Nick Tipping.
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The Big Sing is produced by the New Zealand Choral Federation. Video by JXLive with audio by RNZ Concert.
The Big Sing Gala Concert programme:
TRAD English: Bobby Shaftoe - Paradisum/Virginia Le Cren
MARK RONSON & ANDREW WYATT arr Mack Huff: I'm Just Ken - All The King’s Men/Steven Rapana
EGIL HOVLAND: Laudate Dominum - Bel Suono/Maria Colvin
KEITH CHRISTOPHER: Let All Men Sing - The Centennial Choir/Terence Maskell
DAN WALKER: The Secret Migration - Seraphim/Rowan Johnston
FIVE STAR, RJ CRICHTON, JAMMON JAM & TRAD arr Rev. Ieremia Amituana’I, Simon Matāfai: Pasifika Medley - Avondale College Gospel Choir/Fredda Sorensen, Seumanu Simon Matāfai
TRAD Andalusian arr Joni Jensen: El Vito - Voces Luce/Mark Stamper
SCHUBERT: Psalm 23 Op 132 - Euphony/David Squire
AUROUA AKSNES, ODD MARTIN SKAAINES, MAGNUS SKYLSTAD, KATERINA GIMON: Apple Tree - Femme/Sarah Rae, Peter de Blois
FRANK LOESSER: Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat - Kentoris/Denzel Panama
JACK BAKER & TE KURAHUIA: Ngā Atua Māori - Blue Notes/Isaac Stone
JOZEF SWIDER: Cantus Gloriosus - Choralation/Fiona Wilson
BRONSON TAMAFAIGĀ MOEATEA SEIULI arr John Lafaele, Tusi-Saylie Mose, Lea’aesola Vuna: Vi'i o 'Ā'oga Maualuga o Manurewa - Rewaken Polycation Choir/Lea’aesola Vuna
MALAYSIAN FOLK SONG arr Tracy Wong: Jong, Jong Inai - Leonessa/Elise Bradley
CHRIS ARTLEY: Dawn - King’s College Kappella/Rachel Sutherland, Steven Rapana
ELAINE HAGENBERG: Song of Miriam - Resolutions/Helen Charlton
KO MATSUSHITA: Kotoba-asobi Uta - Cantare/Fiona Wilson
ROSEPHANYE POWELL: The Word Was God - Fortissimo/Jacob Moore
DAVID CONTE: I Pant for the Music Which is Divine - Saints Alive/Denzel Panama
COLE PORTER arr Michael Fletcher: Miss Otis Regrets - Ngā Korimako/Michael Fletcher
TRAD Filipino arr Saunder Choi: Leron, Leron Sinta - St Cecilia Singers/Jono Palmer
SARI KAASINEN: Emoni Ennen - Serenata/Luana Prictor
JAMES GORDON arr Diane Loomer: Frobisher Bay - Voicemale/David Squire
MODERN MĀORI QUARTET arr Penelope Isaac: Māreikura - Rāwhiti/Penelope Isaac
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington 31/08/24 (RNZ)
2024 Adjudicators
The adjudicators for The Big Sing 2024 Finale are Paul Holley OAM (photo by Maxine McCabe), Henrietta Hunkin-Tagaloa, and Michael Stewart. Photo: The Big SIng
Find out all about the Finale adjudicators on The Big Sing website.
Finale 2024 - Special awards and trophies
Best Performance of a NZ Composition:
Choralation, for O Magnum Mysterium by Chris Artley
Best Performance of Choral Art Music (non-New Zealand):
Cantare, for Kotoba asobi-uta by Ko Matsushita
Best Performance of a piece with a text in te reo Māori:
Blue Notes, for Ngā Atua Māori by Jack Baker and Te KuraHuia
Audience Impact Award: Rewaken Polycation Choir
Here are the choirs that participated in the Finale, and their award:
Listed alphabetically by choir
| CHOIR | SCHOOL | AWARD |
|---|---|---|
| All The King's Men | King's College | Bronze |
| Avondale College Gospel Choir | Avondale College | Bronze |
| Bel Suono | Waikato Diocesan School | Gold |
| Blue Notes | Tawa College | Silver |
| Cantare | Westlake Girls High School | Gold |
| Choralation | Westlake Girls and Westlake Boys High Schools | Gold |
| Euphony | Kristin School | Gold |
| Femme | Southland Girls' High School | Bronze |
| Fortissimo | Dilworth School | Gold |
| Kentoris | St Kentigern College | Silver |
| King's College Kappella | King's College | Silver |
| Leonessa | Takapuna Grammar School | Silver |
| Ngā Korimako | Wellington Girls' College and Wellington College | Silver |
| Paradisum | Epsom Girls' Grammar School | Silver |
| Rāwhiti | Wellington East Girls' College | Silver |
| Resolutions | Rangi Ruru Girls' School | Silver |
| Rewaken Polycation Choir | Manurewa High School | Silver |
| Saints Alive | St Cuthbert's College | Silver |
| Seraphim | Chilton Saint James School | Silver |
| Serenata | Rangitoto College | Bronze |
| St Cecilia Singers | Diocesan School for Girls | Silver |
| The Centennial Choir | Mt Albert Grammar School | Gold |
| Voces Luce | Queen Margaret College | Gold |
| Voicemale | Westlake Boys High School | Gold |
