Profile

Southern Youth Choir is a recognised New Zealand Regional Youth Choir. This Dunedin choir was started in 1992 by Maureen Smith and Anthony Ritchie. Auditioned in March of each year, its aim is to further develop the art of group singing for singers aged between 16 and 25 and to give student conductors the opportunity to “direct their own choir”. Approximately twenty-seven two-hour rehearsals are held over the two semester university period. The 50 odd members of the Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass choir are drawn from local Secondary Schools and students from all over the country attending Otago Tertiary Institutions.

In 1994 SYC combined with The Southern Consort of Voices under Jack Spiers and Tecwyn Evans to perform Jack Spier’s Cantico Del Sole and the David Hamilton’s Dance-Song to the Creator. Over past years SYC has sung in premieres of Anthony Ritchie and George Griffith’s From the Southern Marches and in Anthony Ritchie’s Johnny Come Dancing at the NZ Choral Federation National Conference Concert. Music by New Zealand composers, in particular those from Dunedin, is featured in most concerts performed by the choir. Voice and the University of Otago. SYC sang in the morning Service at St Andrews Church and that evening the choirs combined to present a well attended concert in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Gore. Southern Youth Choir was one of five choirs entered in the senior choir section of the Green Island Competitions in June 2002. SYC won first place, a Certificate and the Edmonds Shield. 2003 was a busy year for the choir and student Director Phil Daly, starting with a guest appearance with Southern Sinfonia singing a work by Anthony Ritchie Then I Understood In association with WORDSTRUCK. This was followed by two further concerts featuring NZ composers. Previous Directors have been Anthony Ritchie, Tecwyn Evans, Jonathan Lemalu, David Burchell, Vanessa Clarke, Phillip Daly, Holly Mathieson and Brendon Shanks. The Trust appointed the present Musical Director, Ruth Kirkwood in January 2007.

Southern Youth Choir aims to encourage and upskill more young conductors, a new programme being trialed for 2007, it provides a platform for the SYC conductor and any other member who is interested in taking up the position of conductor of the choir in the future, to spend time with International Conductors when in Dunedin working with the Southern Sinfonia. Three two hour sessions are held in the week each conductor is in town, the first is a meet and greet to discuss strengths and weaknesses, look at repertoire presently being rehearsed etc.. The professional conductor attends a choir rehearsal for the second session and observes the students in rehearsal, working on technique, time management and communication skills etc. The third session is a debriefing, problem solving discussion and question time for the students. This programme will be refined as time progresses, the aim is to be as flexible as possible so as to cover the individual needs of the students currently on the programme.

Over 500 University of Otago students have been SYC members since the choir was formed, they came from all over NZ and many have been overseas students from a variety of countries. SYC Trust makes every effort to maintain contact with as many ex members as possible. This was visibly important when 50 ex-members returned to Dunedin in 2002 to participate in the 10 year reunion, some coming from Australia and even the United States.

Since 1992 the following NZ works have been performed.

1992: Dogwobble, Anthony Ritchie; Pusi Nofo and Minoi, Minoi arr. Christopher Marshall 1993: Transatlantic, David Hamilton; Pusi Nofo, arr. Christopher Marshall; Meteorological Fugue, John Drummond; In These Islands, Michael Norris 1994: Ballualow, Richard Madden; Dance-song to the Creator, David Hamilton; Cantico Del Sole, Jack Speirs 1995: Song, Anthony Ritchie; The Magpies, Christopher Marshall; Balulalow, Richard Madden; Where is my green pasture? Tecwyn Evans; Lord, when the senes of thy sweet grace, John Ritchie; Onward, Tecwyn Evans; Watts Cradle Song, Richard Madden; The Moon is Silently Singing, David Hamilton; Akaroa, Tecwyn Evans; Moemoe pepe, arr. Christopher Marshall 1997: Breath of Hope, Ivan Zagni 1998: Lux Aeterna, David Hamilton; I will betroth thee, Tecwyn Evans; God be in my Head, Tecwyn Evans; My Song shall be of Mercy and Judjement, Richard Madden; Swing, Cheryl Camm; Blood Red Roses, Douglas Mews; Johnny Come Dancing, Anthony Ritchie 1999: Weather Report, Peter Godfrey; Come all you Tonguers, Douglas Mews; Blood Red Roses, Douglas Mews; God be in my head, Tecwyn Evans; Plumsong, Philip Norman; Fanfare to Jon, James Aitken 2002: Moemoe pepe, arr. Christopher Marshall; Onward, Tecwyn Evans; Java Jive, arr. Elise Bradley 2003: Then I Understood, Anthony Ritchie; Pusi Nofo, arr. Christopher Marshall; Ka Waiata ki a Maria, Richard Puanaki; Hine e Hine, arr. David Hamilton; Faleula E! arr. Christopher Marshall; Dance-Song to the Creator, David Hamilton 2005: Song, Anthony Ritchie; O magnum mysterium, David Childs; Where is my green pasture? Tecwyn Evans; Yesterday, arr. Jonathan Lemalu; Balulalow, Richard Madden; The moon’s glow once lit, Sarah McCallum; Two NZ folk songs of the sea, Douglas Mews; God be in my head, Tecwyn Evans; A hymn to the virgin, Tecwyn Evans; May the road rise to meet you, David Hamilton; Ka Waiata ki a Maria, Richard Puanaki 2006: God be in my head, Tecwyn Evans; The Lord is my Shepherd, Sophie Hull; Pokarekare, arr. Douglas Mews; Wairua o te puna, Hori Tait

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