ENSEMBLES 2008
Key Cygnetures Choir
Key Cygnetures Choir has been one of the top secondary school choirs in New Zealand for over 15 years. They are the only national choir to consistently be chosen in the top 20 each year and to receive Gold Awards at their national competition 'THE BIG SING'. Key Cygnetures have also been recipients of the new premier 'Platinum Award' introduced a few years ago at the BIG SING.
Students are auditioned annually, and choir members range in age from 13 - 17.
The choir aims to promote New Zealand works and can be heard on a compilation CD of NZ Music and its own CD's launched in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
The choir has won accolades overseas at various International events:
- 1995 Gold award at International Music Festival in Sydney
- 1997 Most outstanding choir at International Choral Festival in Argentina
- 1999 Gold award and Most Outstanding Choir at International Music Festival in Hawaii
- 2001 Participated in the World of Children's Choirs Symposium in Vancouver, Canada
- 2003 Involved in workshops and performances with Dr Anton Armstrong of St Olaf's College
- 2003 Performed a successful season of the opera "Dido and Aeneas" in Auckland and at the Wellington Youth Arts Festival
- 2005 Competed in the International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, where the choir won the top choral prize and the overall prize "The City of Vienna Award".
- 2006 Held three Mid-Winter Solstice concerts featuring harpist Helen Webby
Took part in a week of workshops with choral clinician and University
Professor Maria Guinand from Venezuela - 2007 Toured nationally to New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Held workshops and performances in Auckland with Grete Pedersen from Norway - 2008 Touring internationally and attending the 8th World Choral Symposium in Copenhagen, Denmark from 19th - 24th July.
Key Cygnetures perform music in many languages and genres but pride themselves on performing a large amount of music from New Zealand composers including Maori waiata and Pacific Island music.
The choir will be away for one month as they perform and travel through Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia prior to their World Choral Symposium commitments in Copenhagen.
