Appeal soon for choir

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32574, 6 April 1971, Page 14

Appeal soon for choir

A nation-wide appeal is to be launched soon to raise funds for the Auckland University Choir, which has been invited to represent New Zealand next year in the international universities’ choral festival in New York. The festival organisers will pay all the choir’s expenses in the United States, but the choir must pay its own way to New York.

Members of the choir have agreed to find half of their fares, but this will leave a deficit of some $16,000. The choir hopes that business firms and local bodies, as well as individuals, will contribute to the appeal. To give point to its campaign, the choir will make a concert tour of New Zealland later this year, and will also appear in May in Auckland during the Auckland Festival. During its trip to the

United States the choir will give recitals at a number of universities before joining 17/other selected choirs from 411 over the world at Washington for three days in preparation for the festival at Lincoln Centre, New York.

The festival Is held every three years. It is not a competition, but an international meeting at which each choir is asked to include in its programme music of Its own country or people. Some 1500 singers in 36 choirs from 24 countries have taken part in the two previous festivals. ' This Is the first such invitation to a university choir from New Zealand. It was made after extensive interviews and auditions throughout New Zealand by the festival director, Mr James Bjorge.

The choir will consist of about 40 singers and will be conducted by Associate Professor Peter Godfrey.