Western News: September 10, 2019

WESTERN NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Tuesday September 10 2019 13
MUSIC: Villa Maria College’s Con Brio has won a coveted silver award at The Big Sing Finale. ​
Silver award for Villa singers
VILLA MARIA College’s largest
choir, Con Brio, has won a
coveted silver award at The Big
Sing Finale.
The Big Sing is a nationwide
choral competition, hosted
by the New Zealand Choral
Federation.
It sees New Zealand’s
secondary school choirs compete
in regional contests, before a list
of the best of the best is released.
Those choirs are then invited
to the televised national finale in
search of gold, silver and bronze
medals.
Twenty-four choirs were selected
for the finale.
The finale was held in
Dunedin and culminated in a
gala concert.
Con Brio is made up of 53
girls from year 10 to year 13,
who share a love of singing and
performing.
“I am enormously proud of the
girls, they work incredibly hard
throughout the year, and they
just keep getting better,” said
choral director Naomi Hnat.
“The girls hold themselves to
a very high standard and stretch
themselves to continue to grow
as a group. Some of the girls are
more experienced than others,
and it’s a pleasure to watch those
students help to lead the group.”
Ms Hnat said performing
alongside other talented choirs
from all around New Zealand is
very special.
“This year there were only
four choirs from Canterbury
selected for the finale, so we feel
proud to be among the best in
the region, and now we can say
we are among the best in the
country.”
• By Claire Booker
THE SEARCH for New
Zealand’s top outdoor spot has
been won by three Christchurch
children.
And one of those winners was
Waimairi School year 6 pupil
Lauren Hickmott.
Lauren (right) won the art
prize for her silhouette called
Alone, which showcases the sense
of solitude which comes from
camping beneath the night sky.
The annual competition is
run by the Walking Access
Commission, and entries were
received from all over New
Zealand.
Pupils entered a photo,
drawing, poem or short story
relating to their favourite spot to
win a prize pack.
The competition aims to help
teach children to understand
responsible outdoor behaviour.
The photo competition was
won by Breens Intermediate year
7 pupil Taylor Blackbourn, who
entered a photo of the Te Paki
sand dunes in Cape Reinga.
Heathcote Valley School year
6 pupil Matilda Scofield won the
writing prize with her bilingual
poem Sumner Pohutukawa.
Matilda wrote the poem at
her Write on School for Young
Writers class. Her prize will be
SCHOOLS
Waimairi pupil takes
out national art prize
shared with Heathcote Valley
School.
Walking Access Commission
spokesman Asher Wilson-
Goldman said some great entries
were received from across the
country.
“It was a surprise when we
saw all the winning entries
came from Christchurch. But
Canterbury kids really embraced
our competition this year and
celebrated their love of exploring
the outdoors.”
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