This page includes all session times and ticketing information for each location of The Big Sing regional festivals, 9-16 June 2022.
WELLINGTON
Thursday 9 June
Michael Fowler Centre
Day...
The Manawatu – Whanganui region held their annual AGM and Workshop on the 8th of May 2021 in Marton.
As has become custom for the Region, the AGM was held during the Annual Workshop. This year the...
EAST COAST
Wednesday 2 June
Toitoi Hastings Arts and Events Centre
Gala concert: 7:30pm ($20 adults, $15 gold card, $12 school students)
Tickets available through...
NZCF Manawatu/Whanganui AGM Workshop
When: 9:30am – 3:30pm on Saturday 8 May
Where: Marton Friendship Centre, 1 Morris Street, Marton
Registration Fees: NZCF Personal and ACD Members $15 / All...
Choral Workshop with David Squire
Palmerston North – 25 February 2021
As part of David Squire’s work with school choirs in the Manawatu/Whanganui area, David will lead an Open Workshop for choir...
New Zealand Choral Federation is looking forward to bring back The Big Sing in 2021.
Dates for the regional festivals are:
REGION
DATES
VENUE
East Coast
Wed 2 and Thurs 3 June
ToiToi Hawke’s...
We were thrilled to see so many of our choral community recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours this year.
We extend our hearty congratulations to National Cadenza Coordinator and NZCF Otago...
With the cancellation of many of NZCF’s major events this year, including the World Symposium of Choral Music and The Big Sing, we have been exploring other ways to engage with our choral...
We’re very sad to announce that The Big Sing will not take place in 2020.
There is no guarantee at all that the restrictions on gatherings of more than 100 people will be lifted by the end of May...
We’re pleased to announce our adjudicators for The Big Sing 2020 regional festivals:
Philip Norman: Auckland, Waikato-Bay of Plenty
Rachael Griffiths-Hughes: Wellington, Taranaki,...
Expressions of interest are invited from Adult Community Choirs for this popular non- competitive festival of singing to be held in St Peter’s Church and Community Hall, Palmerston North on Saturday...
Choral Expert, Rowan Johnston of Auckland is working with
Palmerston North High School Big Sing Choirs
on Thursday 20 February.
NZCF Manawatu-Whanganui has engaged Rowan to lead an Open Workshop for...
We are delighted to welcome Emma Billings to the NZCF team in a new role as Events Manager.
This new position within the team will incorporate the role of The Big Sing National Coordinator, which Emma...
NZCF has had advance notice of an upcoming movie release we’re sure will appeal to our members and would provide the ideal opportunity for a choir fundraiser!
Military Wives is directed by Peter...
The New Zealand Youth Choir (NZYC) has just turned 40 and to celebrate, it’s holding a special Christmas concert in Auckland, Friday 6 December, before boarding a cruise ship the next day for a...
Continuing our series of videos recorded at the 2019 Choral Connect convention in Wellington, we’re delighted to release Rachel Fuller’s presentation Not just an accompanist! in which she...
Looking for ways to show your choir director how much you appreciate them? How about giving them the gift of a career-boosting opportunity for Christmas? Both your conductor and your choir will...
Following on from this year’s highly successful Choral Connect convention in Wellington, we’re delighted to release the second in a series of videos we recorded at selected Choral Connect...
This month, Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir is embarking on a unique tour of nine regional centres for Chamber Music New Zealand. Choirs Aotearoa Chief Executive Arne Herrmann tells us more…
As...
The Big Sing got even bigger this year with the addition of three highly successful Cadenza festivals in the South Island (Timaru), Lower North Island (Whanganui) and Upper North Island (Rotorua). A...
As part of the world-wide biennial promotion “Hallelujah for Hospice”, choirs from Whanganui are holding a concert to raise funds for Hospice Whanganui. Each choir presents a bracket of songs and...
Introducing NZCF’s new Accounts and Membership Manager
We’re delighted to welcome Jenni Prentice to the NZCF staff to take on the combined roles of Accounts Manager and Membership Administrator....
Recently the Manawatu/Whanganui’s The Kids Sing was held in the Prince Edward Auditorium, Whanganui Collegiate.
Four choirs from Manawatu and six from the Whanganui area took part in the...
With WSCM2020 now less than a year away, and with hundreds of people from over 40 countries already registered, the 12th World Symposium on Choral Music in Auckland is shaping up to be one of the...
Twelve Secondary School choirs selected from The Big Sing Regional competitions in Wellington, East Coast, Manawatu-Whanganui and Taranaki took to the stage to compete in the inaugural Big Sing...
The sound of children’s voices will be ringing out in Auckland, Hastings and Whanganui this month when the NZCF regional The Kids Sing festivals are held. Details of each festival are as...
Megan Flint of Taupo is the Commentator for the NZCF Manawatu-Whanganui The Kids Sing Festival, Prince Edward Auditorium, Wanganui Collegiate, Thursday 29 August.
Two Intermediate School choirs and...
NZCF Manawatu-Whanganui’s AGM attracted the majority of the 46 singers and administrators that participated in the Region’s Annual workshop held in Marton on Saturday 18 May.
During the formal...
Palmerston North Girls’ High School Cantatrices scooped Supreme Award at Manawatu-Whanganui TBS on Thursday 13 June and also received the Judith & Guy Donaldson award for the best performance of a...
940 singers from 25 secondary school choirs will be coming to the Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North for the Manawatu-Whanganui ‘The Big Sing’ Regional Festival on Thursday 13 June.
Districts &...
The Big Sing regionals are well underway, with Hawkes Bay leading the way on 29 & 30 May and Christchurch choirs singing their hearts out as we ‘go to print’. Further festivals are scheduled for...
We’re pleased to announce details of the plenary sessions and presentation topics at this year’s Choral Connect, as well as revealing the major work the delegate choir will sing at the final...
The Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) is supporting The Big Sing (TBS) for the third consecutive year, in recognition of the ways in which TBS festivals offer development opportunities to student...
Joe Christensen of Havelock North, the Musical Director of the NZ Male Choir, is the Facilitator for this year’s Manawatu-Whanganui workshop in Marton on Saturday 18 May entitled “The things a...
We were very sorry to hear of the death of Di Lenihan on 12 April 2019. Di was held in the highest esteem by her colleagues all around New Zealand and occupied a key position in NZ choral music for...
Song Leaders Network Aotearoa (SLNA) is an organisation aiming to support leaders of singing groups that learn by ear, and that sing informally/recreationally or for health benefits. Their members...
The Manawatu / Whanganui region elected committee 2018/2019 presents all the region’s news and information of the activities from most of its affiliated choirs in their April 2019 NZCF newsletter.
...
Cadenza, the ‘next best thing to The Big Sing Finale’ will be launched this August in Rotorua (please note the change in dates!), Whanganui and Timaru.
Cadenza enables 36 competing choirs from...
WSCM2020 is thrilled to announce the stunning line-up of 24 world-class choirs and over 40 distinguished choral practitioners coming to Auckland in July 2020.
The International Artistic Committee...
Registration for The Big Sing (TBS) 2019 is now open, as are entries for the NZCF/SOUNZ choral competition. TBS is a dynamic, national group-singing competition for secondary school students. The Big...
Plans are shaping up for three Cadenza festivals around the country this August. Cadenza is the ‘next best thing to The Big Sing Finale’ enabling 36 competing choirs from across New Zealand to...
It’s an exciting month of milestones for WSCM2020! Having had 100% acceptance from the 24 world-class selected choirs, we are launching the core programme and opening earlybird registrations on 20...
Bea is originally from the UK, but spent 14 years living in Amsterdam where she worked as an accountant for two multinational companies. She and her partner Paul immigrated to New Zealand in 1993 and...
TBS REGIONAL DATES AND VENUES 2019
Registration opens February 18 and closes March 18, 2019.
Late closing April 5, 2019, late entry fee $80.
Late payment fee $100 after May 9.
SOUNZ Composition...
Renaissance Singers are pleased to announce that Christine Archer-Lockwood has been appointed as their new Music Director commencing in 2019. She replaces Guy Donaldson who is retiring after thirty...
The Kids Sing Manawatū-Whanganui was recently held in Palmerston North.
You can see more information in the following news story from the Manawatū Standard News:...
DAVID CHILDS
David is a full-time freelance composer of music, conductor, educator, and owner of River Avon productions (www.davidchilds.com). In addition to a busy composing and presentation...
NZCF is pleased to announce the Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) ‘Spirit of the Festival’ Youth Ambassador Awards for 2018. The awards are given in recognition of the ways in which TBS...
Stanley Barnes was taken by surprise when he was presented with a Distinguished Service Award at the Gala Concert of The Big Sing Regional Festival held in the Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North on...
NEWSFLASH: Tickets are now on sale for The Big Sing Finale Gala Concert on Saturday 1 September at 6.30pm from Ticketmaster. Tickets are $30 for Adults, and $20 for Students and Children.
The New...
Hundreds of young voices joined in a day of harmony, rhythm and expression at the regional The Big Sing for secondary schools. The annual day pits Manawatū-Whanganui secondary school choirs,...
Recently the Kapiti Chamber Choir and Renaissance Singers collaborated in a concert.
Eric Sidoti writes: “We circulated major choirs in the Palmerston North, Hutt Valley, and Wellington areas,...
Members of the busy Regional Committee, NZCF Manawatu-Whanganui at a meeting held at Chair Roy Tankersley’s home, Palmerston North on 3rd March. Grant Hutchinson NZCF’s CE was present to meet...
Over 260 singers from eight choirs (including two from Wellington region) took part in the Manawatu-Whanganui branch’s SingFest held in St Peter’s Church, Palmerston North on Saturday 7 April...
Primary Gestures are one-day workshops for leaders of children’s choirs that cover topics such as developing young voices, choosing repertoire for your choir and developing a conducting gesture that...
All choirs in the Manawatu-Whanganui and neighbouring regions are cordially invited to take part in a non-competitive SingFest 2108. Choirs may choose their own repertoire with 12 minutes maximum...
A very successful The Kids Sing festival was held at Prince Edward Auditorium, Wanganui Collegiate School, on Tuesday, August 15. Seven choirs from Bulls (pictured), Linton Camp, Palmerston North,...
The next IFCM World Symposium on Choral Music will be held in Auckland from 11 to 18 July 2020.
For more information, see the WSCM2020 website.
Watch the announcment in Barcelona from our WSCM2020...
We have just enjoyed The Big Sing regional festivals with a record 10,500 students from 270 choirs (160 schools) taking part. Congratulations to all concerned and many thanks to our regional...
A new award given at the recent regional events, the Ministry of Youth Development ‘Spirit of the Festival’ Youth Ambassadors Award, recognises the ways in which The Big Sing offers development...
Last week – 18-24 June – was National Volunteer Week, and the backbone of NZCF really is its large volunteer force.
So we’d like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our hundreds of...
On Saturday 13 May 2017 our region held a successful workshop attended by 45 singers from member choirs.
The focus of this workshop, facilitated by Eric Sidoti, was to develop an understanding and...
In 2015 Stanley Barnes relinquished his role as the Region’s secretary. His service to the Regional TBS covers a period of 15 years as Treasurer, holding the dual position of Regional Coordinator...
A brief choir forum was held in July 2016 as part of the AGM for the Manawatu-Whanganui region. This was a chance for the local choirs attending ( Lyric Singers, James Cook School Choir, Parish...
This biennial festival was held at St Peter’s Church, Palmerston North on Saturday 19 March 2016.
Representing six choirs from the region, 153 singers participated in a day where each choir...
Planning is in hand for the NZCF Manawatu-Whanganui 2017 AGM and Workshop lead by Eric Sidoti. This will be held at St Stephen’s Church Hall, Maunder Street, Marton on Saturday 13 May, commencing at...
NZCF now has our member choirs’ concerts listed on our website and you can find them in two ways:
Home page – search under ‘Upcoming Events’
Regions – select your region and click on...
Seven primary and intermediate schools took part in The Kids’ Sing, at Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School on Wednesday, 9th June, which brought together the voices of about 210...
Here are the dates and venues for The Big Sing regional festivals in 2017
The Big Sing Finale will be held at Auckland’s ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre from Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 August...
