Term One is camp season for our Westlake musicians. So far, our choirs, Cantare, Cigno Voce, and Choralation, have all spent a long weekend rehearsing and bonding during camps held at school, the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and the Hunua Ranges.
Cantare is our premier treble choir, directed by HOD Fiona Wilson. Since Term Four last year, Cantare has been preparing for its overseas tour to Indonesia and Malaysia during the July school holidays. Cantare will compete at the Bali International Choir Festival over five days and visit the Choral Academy in Kuala Lumpur. There are 42 singers in Cantare who are very excited to be travelling abroad to share music from New Zealand and hear other cultural choral music from around the world. They will also participate in New Zealand’s choral festival, The Big Sing, which is regionally adjudicated nationwide in June.
Choralation is our premier mixed choir, directed by HOD Fiona Wilson. This year, there are 48 singers from across both Westlake schools and recently, they camped in the Hunua ranges to learn their music and build their team choir culture. Choralation is preparing for an international choral competition that will be hosted in New Zealand for the first time. Over the July school holidays, 250 choirs will perform and compete in various venues around Auckland as part of the Interkultur World Choir Games. Choralation has also been invited to perform in a special Matariki concert, along with some Auckland and national choirs. This will be held in the middle of the festival at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, featuring newly commissioned works by New Zealand composers. The pieces represent each star in the Matariki constellation, and the concert will be entirely sung in te reo Māori. It’s gearing up to be a very exciting year for our Westlake singers – we hope to see you at our many performances.
Cigno Voce is our Senior Girls choir, directed by Rachel Carson. The 36 singers were on camp from 9 – 11 February. The aim was to workshop their repertoire for the year and build connections and friendships within the choir. The weekend was full of workshops, sectionals, games, delicious food and laughter, and a camp concert to celebrate the diversity and many talents within Cigno Voce. This year, the choir is working towards the NZCF The Big Sing Auckland Regionals in June and the Senior Treble Voices Festival hosted by Westlake Girls High School.
A special thanks to Gnesyer Gomez (Vocal Coach), Anny Yu (Collaborative Pianist) and Elaine Xu (Wairau Dean), who assisted with the camp this year.