Three St Paul’s Collegiate School students – Katie Trigg (Year 12), Aidan Phillips (Year 11) and Geordie Migo (Year 12) – performed at New Zealand ARIA, the national classical singing competition for secondary school and tertiary aged students, held in Rotorua in early November.
The competition boasts significant cash prizes for participants including a $20,000 cash prize for the winner of the open class age group for those aged 18 years and over.
St Paul’s three performers all walked away with notable placings including a first place win for Trigg and Phillip’s duet. The duo performed the Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge.
Trigg also performed in four classes in the over-16 and under-21 age group. She reaped success, placing second for her sacred song and lieder/art song performances in which she sung Air – Oratorio de Noël by Saint-Saëns and Vaga luna che inargenti by Vincenzo Bellini respectively.
Her participation the four classes put her in the running for the Mike Stiner Interior Design Junior Award. She placed second, winning $300, behind Old Collegian and well-known vocalist Jonathan Eyre who was awarded first place and $600.
The talented vocalist says she is keen to sing professionally and plans to study both music and law at university.
Migo, who enjoys music purely as a hobby, also competed in four classes although in the under-18 age group. He was awarded highly commended for three of the four classes – Deep River by H.T Burleigh (sacred/oratorio), Shenandoah by Jay Althouse (folk) and Se Vuol Ballare by Mozart (own selection).
Phillips also performed in the under-18 age group along with Migo, placing first overall and winning $150. He placed first for his performances of Avant de Quitter ces lieux from Faust by Gonoud (own choice) and When Irish Eyes are Smiling by Ernest R. Ball; and received very highly commended for Signore by Stradella (sacred/oratorio) and Something’s Coming from West Side Story by Bernstein (light entertainment).
He also placed third in the sacred/oratorio class in the under-21 age group for his performance of Lord God of Abraham from Elijah by Mendelssohn.
Phillips, like Trigg, also plans to use his vocal skills in a professional capacity, “I would like to study at Auckland, Vitoria or Waikato just because of the teachers available. I think for voice particularly the teacher is the most important part of leading to success.”
Philips, Trigg and Migo said that St Paul’s itinerant vocal teacher Ian Campbell is the reason for their success at the national competition.
“Each week in the lead up to the competition we participated in workshops with Mr Campbell and professional pianist Dr Gregg Neil. Mr Campbell would be on our backs about all of the little details and that’s why a lot of the Waikato students and St Paul’s students stood out,” Phillips explained.
Mr Campbell also encouraged Trigg and Phillips to try out for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir earlier in the year. Both were selected and given 18-month contracts. Since then they have toured the country to take part in week-long music courses that end with a performance.
“We just came back from performing the War Requiem with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch City Choir and the university chamber choir Consortia. It was stunning,” Trigg said.
Trigg and Phillips will visit Canada with the choir in July next year as part of a month long tour. The group will perform at the International Choral Kathaumixw – a five day choral festival with concerts, competitions, conductor’s seminars and social events – something that Trigg describes as “exciting and a huge honour.”
