Southern View: April 16, 2019

6 Tuesday April 16 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
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SOUTHERN VIEW
Local
News
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Fire rages, homes at risk
City chorus on international stage again
• By Jess Gibson
THE CHRISTCHURCH City
Chorus has its sights set on New
Orleans.
The choir of 140 women will
represent New Zealand at the Sweet
Adelines International competition
in the United States in September
after winning the national heat for
the 11th time.
It won’t be the first time the group
has performed at the competition –
the choir has previously taken the
stage in San Antonio, Hawaii and
Indianapolis in the United States, as
well as Calgary, Canada.
In its most recent trip to Las Vegas
in 2016, the choir finished fifth in
the world at the competition.
But director Virginia Humphrey
is hoping to do better at this year’s
competition.
Coaches will fly over from Los
Angeles, Sweden and Seattle to train
the choir before it heads to New
Orleans.
Mrs Humphrey said the group
could go every year if it wanted but
aims for every three years due to
the high cost of the trip. The choir
will showcase jazz, popular New
Zealand music, ballads and swing at
a southern-style-themed fundraiser
on April 28.
The money raised will go towards
accommodating two Swedish singing
coaches during the trip, hiring
stage equipment and flying props
over.
The choir will donate 10 per cent
of its proceeds to the Muslim Association
of Canterbury after the
March 15 terror attack.
The group will be judged on
sound, music, expression and showmanship
at the competition.
Mrs Humphrey formed the group
in 1985 after being part of a barbershop
chorus in Canada.
“I loved it so much I came home
and started a chorus here,” she said.
The group has since won every
national competition it has entered
since 1987.
The fundraiser on April 28 will
showcase two a cappella shows at
2pm and 7pm at Harmony Church​,
220 Antigua St.
•From page 1
Mr Wright has taught notable
names, such as Canterbury and
New Zealand cricketer Nathan
Astle, Crusaders and All Blacks
lock Chris Jack and SBHS’s
current deputy principal Tim
Grocott.
Mr Wright’s retirement also
marks the end of an era for SBHS,
as it gets ready to move to its new
shared site at QE II Park next
month with Avonside Girls’ High
School.
“It seems fitting that I’ll actually
leave as this chapter for the school
is closing.”
Mr Wright also played a role
in the school’s recovery after the
2011 earthquake.
Its library was damaged beyond
repair so he helped pick up
liquefaction-soaked books and set
up the make-shift library.
Mr Wright worked hard
to ensure students had an
CHAMPS: The Christchurch City Chorus, which is led by director Virginia Humphrey-Taylor,
will travel to New Orleans for the Sweet Adelines International competition in September.
Cricket and rugby stars among teacher’s students
OLD BOYS: Canterbury and
New Zealand cricketer Nathan
Astle and Crusaders and All
Blacks lock Chris Jack (right)
were both students of Murray
Wright’s.
environment in which they could
keep learning after the quakes.
“It’s not a good teaching
environment at all. There are
puddles everywhere and you get
wet moving around.”
He said it will be a relief to see
students get a fresh start when the
school shifts.
“I’ve walked through the new
school and it will be lovely to be
warm all the time and not getting
wet. It’s very well designed with
lots of facilities.”
Mr Wright has taught a lot of
lessons over the years, and said he
has learnt a few too.
The key to his students’ success
has been bringing a smile to
their faces, being organised and
valuing every one of them.
“I’ve learnt that in the
relationship you have with kids,
they enjoy a sense of humour,
they like seeing the teacher as a
person,” he said.
“I think treating students as
individuals and not just a number
in a book is another important
thing . . . a lot of kids these days
have huge problems and we have
to be aware of them.”
Mr Wright plans to spend
his retirement with his
grandchildren, Oscar, Albie,
Ashton and Elliot, and his wife
Rosemary.
He said he won’t forget SBHS,
but his hobbies will now come
first.
“I’m intending to come back
relieving occasionally, but I’ve
got a bit of redecorating to do
at home and I play a little bit of
golf and bridge . . . and I’ll keep
reading.”
Mr Wright said he values what
he has achieved at SBHS and the
staff and students he has worked
with. “I can’t think of a different
career I would have been happier
in.”
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