Photo via assistnews.net

Wellington Kotuku children’s choir moves audiences to tears

For a tour that almost didn’t happen, Wellington Kotuku children’s choir has taken a song of hope around the world, and impacted its audiences in a most unusual manner, reports John McNeil, special to ASSIST News Service.

Formed three years ago in New Zealand’s capital city Wellington by teacher Sharon Thorburn, Kotuku brings together young people from a wide range of age and social backgrounds. Through the choir, she brings hope to young people who frequently have not previously known hope, and they then share it with others.

Early last year, Sharon had a dream of taking the choir to America and England. In an exploratory trip, she set off with broken suitcases, borrowed clothes, no money to cover her mortgage, an eastern American train pass, a parcel of muesli bars to eat on the train, and only $100 spending money.

After she performed in one church, the bishop of Pennsylvania, who as in the congregation, was so moved that he asked her to sing in other churches. This opened doors in many other cities.

But she returned to New Zealand to discover half her choir had quit. So she held a training camp, which brought in first a young ex gang leader, Titus, and then many of his friends.

“The people of New Zealand, the �?corporates’ and the [Wellington City] Council and the churches joined hands to get us on the plane. We were hosted by the people of America. So we travelled on everyone else’s wings,” Sharon said.

The choir left two days after Christmas, and first stop was a snow bathed Windham, Maine, home of the Windham Chamber Singers, an internationally acclaimed performing group. This choir is conducted by Dr Richard Nickerson, who is also conductor of the United States Youth Chorale, a choir made up of top high school singers from all 50 states.

“When my choir heard the Windham choir warming up, they were so overwhelmed that for the first quarter of the concert they couldn’t sing,” Sharon said.

“They were overwhelmed at how incredibly well trained and professional the choir was. Then they began to tell their stories.”

Those stories broke down the reserves, and the choir regained its nerve.

“Dr Nickerson said he had never seen anything quite like Kotuku, and he was reminded that choirs are all about the heart. So we left there with the whole community hugging and weeping.”

The choir took workshops in the state of New England, teaching Americans how to do a haka and a Samoan dance, the safa.

“No matter where we went, after three days the choir was met by weeping and hugging,” she said.

On one occasion the choir “took over” a society wedding.

“We were supposed to be background music, and I kept apologising for taking over, until I realised the bride was actually dancing a Samoan dance the children had taught her and people were crying.

“Love is a universal language, so it didn’t matter whether we sang at a Mormon-Italian wedding, for the Amish children, at diplomatic receptions, or at well-fed Republicans’ homes.

“That’s what the tour was remarkable for. It didn’t matter if we were singing in a London cathedral for the top choir of England. The hugs and the sound merged together, so whole communities merged together.”

Sharon sang again for the Amish people she had visited on her first trip, as a thank you for the part they had played in bringing the choir to America.

And a Mennonite broke all his traditional boundaries to make a Samoan-style drum for Titus, the former gang leader who is now one of the choir’s leaders. The host and his wife danced in their church after presenting the drum, which Titus said was an amazing break with tradition.

In Washington DC, the choir was given a reception at New Zealand House before going on to London, where it was hosted by the Tiffin Boys’ Choir and All Saints parish.

The Tiffin choir is one of the most famous in England. Having worked with all the London orchestras it performs regularly with the Royal Opera.

“When he heard them sing, Titus said it sounded like heaven,” Sharon said. “Conductor Simon Toyne is renowned as being one of the top choral directors in the United Kingdom. He was very gracious to us. He took workshops with our children, conducting them. We did a haka and a safa in Southwark Cathedral, which was our final tour performance.”

Sharon says Simon Toyne has now committed to bringing the Tiffin choir to New Zealand on a national tour in February 2009 in the four main centres and possibly Queenstown. Dr Nickerson’s Windham choir may also tour next year.

The two conductors plan to visit in August this year to look at potential venues, and to take choral symposiums with New Zealand choirs and music educators.

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[03/05/2008]

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