Northland Here We Come!
Young singer proud to showcase the talents of national choir to home region.
New Zealand’s esteemed national choir, the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir is heading to Northland for three public concerts—in Kerikeri and Waitangi (25 Jan) and, for the first time ever, in Whangarei (27 Jan). Local member, Riley Rolton from Coopers Beach, is excited to be one of the 56 young singers from all over Aotearoa that make up the choir, and to be bringing his new friends to Northland!
Under the direction of Sue Densem, NZSSC gathers New Zealand’s finest young voices and offers a once in a lifetime opportunity—a two-year membership to learn from top vocal teachers and teachers that (usually) culminates in an international tour. The Northland concerts will be the first performances for 2022, a warm-up for more national touring and, travel restrictions allowing, a trip to Australia in July for Festival of Voices in Hobart.
Riley, a tenor who will be Y13 in 2022, was part of the choir invited by the Prime Minister and Governor General to sing at the State Memorial Service for HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, last year. In 2021, NZSSC also performed at the national ANZAC commemoration.
Arriving in Whangarei on Monday 24 January, the 56-strong NZSSC will be rehearsing at Whangarei Girls’ High School in the lead-up to the Northland performances. This vibrant, multicultural choir will offer a new repertoire, a dynamic, international concert programme that includes works from Aotearoa and the Pacific as well as kapa haka. In between concerts in Kerikeri, Waitangi and Whangarei, NZSSC will also visit Kaitaia College on 26 January to work with the school’s singers and kapa haka group, and their music teacher, Dr Opeloge Ah Sam. These workshops will culminate in a public performance at the school that afternoon. NZSSC’s Northland tour is proudly supported by local trusts, Foundation North, Oxford Sports Trust and the Four Winds Foundation.
Northland concert dates
For more information, interviews or images, contact:
Rachel Healy, PUBLICIST – 027 5277732, rachel@rachelhealy.co.nz