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Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Second big win for youth choir
A national choir, with a Dunedin singer in its ranks, has taken home the top award at an international competition. The New Zealand Youth Choir, with singers aged between 18 and 25, was named Choir of the World at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales on Saturday night (local time). The choir blended waiata and kapa haka with a traditional choral repertoire. It comprised about 50 singers, including former Columba College and University of Otago student Rosie Auchinvole, and operates on a three-year membership. The award came hot on the heels of another win at the European Choir Games in Denmark last week, where the choir won the Grand Prix of Nations, after receiving a score of 97.5 from 100 in the folklore category. The New Zealand Youth Choir wins Choir of the World 2025. PHOTO: FACEBOOK / NZ YOUTH CHOIR At the time, Ms Auchinvole told theit was a "huge honour" to represent New Zealand internationally. Labour arts, culture and heritage spokeswoman Rachel Boyack said the "outstanding young singers" were incredible ambassadors for New Zealand. "I watched their winning set this morning after waking up to hear this very exciting news," she said. "I've been lucky to see the choir perform this year, including at Waitangi on Waitangi Day, and it is incredible to see how much they've achieved — I am hugely proud of every one of them." Also on Saturday night, New Zealand Youth Choir conductor David Squire was awarded the Jayne Davies Conductors Prize. The New Zealand Youth Choir last won the Choir of the World title in 1999. — APL/RNZ
Otago Daily Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Proud to sing anthem
A Dunedin choir member was proud to sing New Zealand's national anthem on a global stage after winning a top award. The New Zealand Youth Choir was awarded the Grand Prix of Nations at the European Choir Games in Aarhus, Denmark, last Sunday. Former Columba College and University of Otago student Rosie Auchinvole, who is a member of the choir, said it was a "huge honour" to represent New Zealand on the world stage. Former Columba College and University of Otago student Rosie Auchinvole after a performance at St Paul's Cathedral. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON When the choir was awarded 97.50 out of a possible 100 points, they rushed the stage to join choir director David Squire and sang the national anthem. God Defend New Zealand was "sung proudly in te reo Māori and English", she said. The choir then performed a haka in honour of Mr Squire. She said performing karanga, mōteatea, waiata ā-ringa and music from Samoa and Fiji to an international audience and judging panel was "very special". The New Zealand Youth Choir singing at the European Choir Games. PHOTO: SUPPLIED "When we performed at friendship concerts and talked to members from other choirs, they all commented on how beautiful the Māori, Samoan and Fijian songs were and how many of them had never seen them performed live before. "When I was performing them in the competitions, I could see several of the judges smiling and being emotionally moved by the pieces." Ms Auchinvole said she was nervous before performing, but relied on her knowledge of the music to prevent major nerves from building up.
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Local athletes impress at comp
New Zealand aerobics coach Janine McCaughan (top left) sits with the next generation of Otago aerobics athletes and (right) Astra Gymnastics' New Zealand representatives perform their Trio Routine at TPŌMA recently. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Seventy athletes from around New Zealand, including Balclutha, competed at the Otago Aerobics Championships and New Zealand Secondary School National Championships at Te Pou Ō Mata-Au, Clutha District War Memorial and Community Centre on Saturday, June 28. Seven athletes were New Zealand representatives, including one of New Zealand's most decorated Aerobic Gymnastics Athletes, Brooke Davies. Competitors aged 5 to 24 years old performed across 82 routines throughout multiple levels, divisions and disciplines. The 35 Otago athletes training out of Astra Gymnastics in Dunedin made an impressive showing. "We had local athletes qualify for the New Zealand National Gymnastics Championships, which will be held in Auckland in September," Astra head coach and New Zealand coach Janine McCaughan said. "Big congratulations to South Otago athletes Lauren Scarth, Isla Brookland and Haley Jarvis on their success in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships. "Lauren [South Otago High School] placed 3rd in level 8, Isla [Catlins Area School] placed 3rd in level 7 and Haley Jarvis [Catlins Area School] placed 1st in level 6. "Other Astra Gymnastics athletes from Otago also secured placings in the Secondary Schools competition, Tiffany Mei [Columba College] was first in level 7, followed by Kate Miller [Columba College] in second and level 9 was taken out by Olivia Hurley [Otago Girls' High School]." Mrs McCaughan will accompany the New Zealand team to the Australian Gymnastics National Championships in July.
Otago Daily Times
25-04-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Expo holds Anzac service
Anzac Day procession down Union St, Dunedin on April 25, 1925. — Otago Witness, 5.5.1925 From an early hour in the afternoon, it was evident that all roads in Dunedin were leading to the Exhibition building, where the Returned Soldiers' Association was holding its memorial service. Woman dies after mystery crash This is regarded by most people as the principal service of that day, and the confidence of the association in the general support of the public was not misplaced. Seating accommodation had been planned for 2000 people, and in the huge No 1 building the forms seemed to occupy but a tiny corner of the floor space. They were fully taken up by next-of-kin of soldiers, representatives of local bodies, returned nurses, the girls of Columba College and those who took part in the procession from town, namely, a detachment from HMS Dunedin, members of the RSA, South African veterans and all the bands of the city and suburbs. At the rear of the platform a model cenotaph was erected on which was suspended a beautiful wreath of brilliant red on a background of green. All went smoothly till the main front door for the general public was opened. Apparently, this had been left a little too long and the crowd had become impatient. A wild rush, probably started by a few unruly small boys, set in for the few unoccupied seats, and the most unseemly spectacle was witnessed of men, women, and children, some of the men in uniform, racing across the floor and then across the forms in grotesque panic haste to reach the best available seats. Throughout the greater part of the service the tramp of entering feet on the wooden floor made considerable disturbance. The parade assembled opposite the Returned Soldiers' Association club rooms at 2pm. About 233 returned soldiers paraded, including a number of Boer War veterans, and representatives of the Otago Officers' Club. The parade was in mufti, the men wearing their medals. Oamaru, April 26: Olive Rutherford (18 years) and Philip Hudson (19 years) had been "keeping company" for four years, and they were formally engaged with the full approval of their parents. They had been away together on several previous occasions. The police, including Detective La Sueur, commenced inquiries on Wednesday afternoon. They found Hudson's watch, which had stopped at 7.25am, beside the place where the girl was found and also a hat, a glove, and a man's handkerchief soaked in blood. An empty cartridge was found beside the body, and another near the wrecked car. Blood stains led from the body of the girl down the side of the hill past the debris of the car, and on again over the stones down to the water's edge. The stains were not extensive, but they were sufficient to show the direction in which Hudson had gone. The police have endeavoured to formulate theories, but none can be established in the absence of Hudson and owing to the death of the girl. A rifle, if one was used, was not discovered, and it is thought that it may have been taken to the river by Hudson. Whether Hudson and the girl were in the car when it went over the cliff will probably never be determined. The police are continuing to search for Hudson and have unsuccessfully dragged the river in the hope of recovering the rifle, which, it is learned, he sometimes carried with him. Olive Rutherford died at 9pm on Saturday without recovering consciousness. The body was brought to Oamaru this afternoon. A postmortem examination was made to-night. — ODT, 27.4.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
