Sing Aotearoa 'the best yet'

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 690, 10 June 1997, Page 7

Sing Aotearoa 'the best yet'

Sing Aotearoa choral festival at Queens Birthday Weekend was the best-ever, according to organ iser Graham Hoffman. "On all levels it achieved what we set out to achieve," he said. Its main aim was to bring together Maori and Pakeha singers in song. The Sunday night concert was stunning, he said, and the conductor, Andre Thomas, was received "like a superstar". "Already people are looking forward to the next one in 2000, but we're going to need a grandstand." He said this year's festival ran at capacity, with about 450 participants. The Mountain Sing was magnificent, he said, with the cloud clearing away soon after they gathered at the Turoa car park. One downbeat comment was that they were disappointed with the turn-out of locals to the concert. "We need to come to town earlier to get more support from the local people," he said, but adding that they were very grateful for the help they received. Grateful He provided the following press release regarding the local support: "The Sing Aotearoa Council would like to convey its thanks and appreciation to the community of Ohakune and

the following people and organisations for their special contribution in making the 1997 Sing Aotearoa Festival, held during Queen's Birthday Weekend, a successful and enjoyable event: Maungarongo Marae, the principal and staff of Ruapehu College, Ruapehu District Council, Ruapehu Bulletin, Benchmark Building Supplies, Murray Swan, Ohakune Events Organisation, Ohakune Primary School, Room 14 (pupils Rachel Wharry, Alana Ridings, Christra Sutton and Maria Murphy) for the flax and ash gift, Ohakune Events Organisation Inc. (Adrienne Murphy) for organising the flax and ash gift and for supplying petrol for the rental truck, Rimu Park Lodge for the use of the rental truck to transport chairs, Ohakune Engineering for the use of a cherry picker to hang the banners, Sue Allomes, Ruapehu Homestead for the loan of a piano Ohakune Yolunteer Fire Brigade for providing transport and manpower to move the piano, Raetihi Primary School for the loan of chairs Ruapehu District Council (Cynthia Dowsett) for organising the loan of road signs and cones for the road closure during parade, Ruapehu Construction Ltd for supplying road signs and cones. Please accept our sincere gratitude and best wishes for happy and prosperous times until we return to Ohakune again for the next Sing Aotearoa Festival in 2000AD.