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New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir, St Paul’s Cathedral, Saturday, September 30.
The final concert for New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir’s short tour took place in Dunedin in St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday evening. NZSSC is comprised of about 60 13- to 18-year-old singers. There are three Dunedin singers in the 2023-24 choir.
A large audience turned out to hear the choir present a wide variety of choral repertoire, conducted by musical director Sue Densem (Christchurch). Ben Madden (Dunedin) was assistant conductor and vocal consultant.
A choreographed procession through the cathedral brought the choir forward with drum beats accompanying their opening number Kanaval.
This choir does not stand still and formal, and several of their songs, such as the Afro-American Music Down in My Soul, and You Will Be Found by Pasek and Paul, were accorded spontaneous movement of head and body, creating relaxed delivery and vibes of interpretation. A Pasifika number Maia Soma e Malie Tagifa with accompanying drum beat was extremely energised with singers achieving an exhilarating interpretation.
Drop Slow Tears and April is in Thy Mistress’ Face, both popular early madrigals for small groups were well presented, but I felt were not good choices for a choir of this size, where it can be difficult to deliver fast text with clarity.
There were several outstanding items, one being The Parting Glass (Sarah Quartel) sung by the male singers, who achieved impeccable onsets and immaculate blending with subtle dynamic response throughout.
The girls’ offering by the same composer was a part song calling trees to protect birds’ nests — Bird Lullaby.
Highlights for me were Bach’s popular Jesus bleibet meine Freude and Ubi Caritas by Ola Gjeilo, both with interludes from accompanist and assistant director Brent Stewart, who excelled where piano improvisational passages surrounded vocal statements.
Tane Mahuta by Te Huaki Puanaki with rousing sound and action ended an excellent choral recital.
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