Registration is open for Choral Connect
9 April 2021
Thank you for your patience while we have been working behind the scenes to reshape our Choral Connect programme to ensure that most of the planned events can quickly be moved online in the event of a change to COVID Alert Level 2 or higher.
This means that delegates will have the option to attend the conference in person at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, or live-streamed online. The great news is that every session will be recorded and available to delegates to watch later. We also hope that the online option will enable some to attend who might otherwise find the travel and accommodation costs restrictive.
We are delighted that Robert Wiremu has joined the artistic committee and are grateful for his guidance as we approach the theme of The Choral Traditions of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Virtual conference platform
We will be livestreaming all the presentations, workshops, and concerts to a virtual conference platform called Hopin, which has some great features that will enable delegates to connect. Even the in-person delegates will be able to interact with delegates online, using a mobile app. We will be releasing a short demonstration video soon to show you what the experience will be like in the online space. We’ve also planned some free ACD member-only events in the next couple of months to give you a chance to try out the interface before committing to an online registration. You’ll see those advertised through the ACD Facebook group.
Presentations, Workshops, & a Masterclass
Dr Charles Te Ahukaramū Royal brings his experience as a composer, performer, and researcher of indigenous knowledge to share how aspects of mātauranga Māori inform our approaches to creativity. We will also have two practical workshops on Māori and Pasifika music, led by Ataahua Papa and Opeloge Ah Sam, where delegates will learn more about the history and performance practice of these traditions. Our Artistic Advisor, Robert Wiremu, will also share his research into language and diction, including how to approach te reo Māori and other Pasifika languages.
We will also have Conducting Toolbox presentations, plus a repertoire reading session led by David Squire, Elise Bradley, Jono Palmer and Megan Flint.
A few delegates will be chosen to participate in a masterclass with Dr Karen Grylls and our choir-in-residence, the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir. Each participant will be given 15 minutes to work with the choir on aspects of gesture and rehearsal technique. Delegates who are interested in participating should contact our Artistic Programme Coordinator, Jono Palmer at jono.palmer@nzcf.org.nz for further details.
Composition Workshop
Delegates will also have the opportunity to observe artistic director Karen Grylls and guest composer David Hamilton work with Auckland-based members of Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, as they workshop a number of compositions by student and emerging composers.
Concerts
One of the major highlights of Choral Connect will be our three evening concerts. Given the number of cancelled events over the last year due to lockdowns, we are excited that we can present a variety of national and regional groups. Two of the evening concerts will showcase the diversity of our host city’s choral scene with eight choirs from the Auckland region presenting short recitals. Our final concert will feature taonga puoro specialist Horomona Horo along with the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir, Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir and Te Kapahaka o Te Wharekura o Hoani Waititi.
Registration
Whether attending online or in person, registration will be via the event page on Hopin. You will need to create a login for the website. If you are an ACD member, NZCF Personal member, or a student, be sure to use the links in the Fees table below to access the appropriate discount.
Fees
Please click on the appropriate price below to access the registration page in Hopin. Once there, you will need to create a login to purchase a registration. As always, ACD and Personal NZCF members will receive a discount on the cost of registration. To find out how to renew or take out ACD or Personal Membership, visit the NZCF Membership page of our website.