Fletcher and Jack from OAR's Youth Zone radio show, Fletcher's World, attended the morning session of The Big Sing in Dunedin this week, to learn all about choral singing for an upcoming episode on their show.
Fletcher, Jack, Ms Tolson and I stepped into the crisp morning light of the Dunedin Town Hall on Monday, 16 June 2025, brimming with excitement. We were here to research and gather information for a special episode of their bi‑weekly podcast, Fletcher's World, giving listeners a front‑row seat to the Otago regional morning session of The Big Sing, New Zealand’s largest secondary-school choral festival.
As choirs sat patiently downstairs awaiting their turn to perform, the foyer pulsed with anticipation with patrons buying last minute tickets. Inside the grand hall, adjudicators, teachers, and students prepared for a morning of adjudicated performances, running from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, showcasing a rich mix of repertoire—from Māori waiata to contemporary choral works. Fletcher and Jack noted the mixture of nerves and anticipation below that the young singers brought with them, as we sat upstairs in the circle with fantastic views over the whole town hall and "Norma" - the town hall's famous organ.
I emphasised to the boys how the performance itself—singing in front of an audience and receiving feedback—was as much about courage as it is about singing ability. Being in a choir enhances not only musical skills, but crucial confidence and teamwork skills. Participating in a choir was one of my favourite and most rewarding experiences from high school, even more so than the many musical theatre shows I was involved with. I was part of an audition-only premier choir and combined choir when I was at high school, and even travelled to sing at the Choral Fest Out West Competition, an Australasian Choral Competition in Sydney Australia, when I was in Year 11. Those arts experiences were incredibly enriching and imprinted on me for life.
Why Choral Singing Matters
When Fletcher and Jack started looking into choral singing, they realised that there are many benefits of choral singing—not just for musical development, but for wellbeing and personal growth:
Vocal & musical skills: Singing in harmony sharpens pitch, rhythm, phrasing, and ensemble awareness.
Mental & emotional health: Group singing fosters a sense of belonging, reduces stress, and releases endorphins.
Social connection: Working together towards a performance builds teamwork, empathy, and communication.
Cultural engagement: Choral festivals like The Big Sing include waiata and works by NZ composers, promoting cultural appreciation .
Leadership & confidence: Choir members often take on roles—from section leaders and conducting, to mentoring younger singers—boosting responsibility and self‑esteem.
If you are interested in joining the small re-established JMC choir here at school, come along to a rehearsal in the Chapel on Thursday lunchtimes, or have a chat with Mr McNulty or Mr Claman. They rehearse every Thursday lunchtime with our new Choir Conductor, Teddy Finney-Waters.
In the meantime, make sure you make the most of our school singing experiences in our weekly Assembly time on Wednesdays, especially in the lead up to the House Singing Competition.
Here is a photo below of our favourites from the morning... the Otago Girls' High School Nautilus Chorale...
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