Two Hamilton students are part of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Choir which has top billing at a renowned global event in Canada.
Katie Trigg and Aidan Phillips, from St Paul’s Collegiate, are heading to the International Choral Kathaumixw with the NZSSC which has been invited as this year’s Guest Choir.
The NZSSC won Kathaumixw’s first People’s Choice Award in 2010.
The St Paul’s pair, both aged 17, were selected for the 58-strong national choir about a year ago from 200 applicants nationwide.
Auditions were held around the country, with Katie and Aidan put through their paces at St Peter’s Cathedral in Hamilton.
Since their selection they have had rehearsals and performances with the choir in every school holidays in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The NZSSC also had a ‘‘pit stop’’ last year in Hamilton, with a concert in St Paul’s Cathedral.
Coming up next month is a workshop in Wellington, with final rehearsals and a performance in Auckland before departure in July.
Katie said it is a ‘‘great honour’’ for the NZSSC to be the Guest Choir at the five-day choral festival.
Since its formation, she said the choir has become ‘‘so amazing’’ under the guidance of musical director Andrew Withington.
"The more we have been singing together the better we sound.’’
Both are members of their school choir, with Aidan also part of the St Peter’s Cathedral Choir and Cantando Choir in Hamilton.
He has been invited by Waikato Diocesan School for Girls to act as one of two male leads in a production of Godspell at Southwell School Performing Arts Centre on April 12-14.
Originally from Ngahinapouri, Katie is a member of the Te Awamutu Light Operatic Society and has been taking singing lessons since she was eight.
She is also part of Opera Lovers, performing in Thames and Pirongia next month.
The year 13 students both plan to appear in the St Paul’s end of year concert.
Held every two years, the festival in Canada the has been running since 1984 and regularly attracts more than 1200 singers.
It is staged in the town of Powell River, British Columbia, about 135km from Vancouver.
This year’s festival runs from July 5-9.
