Macleans College Chorale wins prestigious Auahi Kore Award at Big Sing Finale

Macleans College Chorale wins prestigious Auahi Kore Award at Big Sing Finale
Posted on September 15, 2026
Macleans College Chorale has returned from the prestigious Big Sing Finale Festival in Christchurch with a silver award and a major national honour for its performance in te reo Māori.
An invitation to the annual Finale places Chorale among the top 24 secondary school choirs in New Zealand. More than 260 choirs competed in The Big Sing regional festivals to earn a place at the national event.
The singers spent four days at Christchurch Town Hall listening to leading secondary school choirs from across the country. Chorale also impressed audiences with its own recitals, performing a varied repertoire in four languages: English, Māori, German and Latin.
The choir earned a silver award and won the Auahi Kore Award for its performance of Takerei Komene's Te Hīmene o Maria. The trophy recognises the best performance across the entire festival of a work in te reo Māori.
The award was particularly meaningful for the singers, who worked closely with the composer to honour the kupu (vocabulary) and present an authentic and confident performance of the work.
The choir extends its thanks to the staff and supporters who helped make the trip possible. Mrs Williamson and Dr Miles provided valuable support and organisation, while manager Mr Bevan helped ensure the trip ran smoothly. Ms Xie and Mr Malani were also a positive and supportive presence throughout the festival.
Special thanks go to vocal consultant James Harrison for his expert teaching and inspiration and to director Mrs McNabb for her leadership and commitment.