Performing arts talent on display at 2023 Gala Concert
Posted on August 18, 2023
The annual Gala Concert was held at the Due Drop Events centre on Thursday 3 August, featuring a host of the Macleans College premiere performing arts talent.
The concert opened with a selection of contemporary musical theatre songs presented by this year’s Cabaret cast, quickly followed by a Barbershop twist on another set of musical theatre songs by Macappella, the girls barbershop chorus.
Jenifer Kim – Cello (Rutherford House) and Gisele Lau – Piano (Te Kanawa) provided a beautiful rendition of the 2nd movement of Grieg’s Sonata in A minor of Cello before a student led extract from A Midsummer Night’s Dream that featured Lucy Jurd (Mansfield), Tanisha Khan (Mansfield), Liliana Relf (Te Kanawa), Tamzin Scullard (Mansfield) and Nethra Tennakoon (Kupe).
The concert continued with a Stan Walker medley from the 2023 Small House Choir Champions Kupe House contrasted heavily with the Macleans College Chorale presenting an Eric Whitacre set entirely in the Hebrew language and accompanied by string quartet.
A return to the sound world of Barbershop with quartet Log Ten Thousand, Abbie Yeung (Rutherford), Jolie Chang (Snell), Kardia Lee (Upham) and Catherine Luo (Rutherford) with the first half finale (and particular crowd favourite) provided by this year’s award winning Showquest dance team, led by Alex Ready (Mansfield), Mischa Inglis (Snell House), Abby Snooks (Snell) and Eden Milward (Rutherford).
The second half featured the highly acclaimed instrumental groups, Concert Band, Chamber Orchestra led by student conductor Wayne Gao (Snell) and Symphony Orchestra before an epic finale of Symphony Orchestra and Chorale combined.
The finale featured soloists Lexie Buchanan (Upham), Adrian Chan (Te Kanawa) and Faithfulness Saumani (Kupe), drawing rapturous and extended applause from the large audience.
Further photos can be viewed and purchased at BC Photography.
