Updated 31 March 2025
Kia ora tatou!
Greetings from sunny Christchurch/Ōtautahi. The weather for our convention at the start of May may not be quite as warm as this time of year, but we will be filled with an inner glow as we sing together and celebrate 40 years of Sweet Adelines in New Zealand.
Name: Harmony Ōtautahi - 40 and fabulous
When: 1- 4 May 2025
Where: James Hay Theatre, Kilmore Street, Christchurch (part of the Christchurch Town hall complex)
Accessibility: Entrance to the James Hay Theatre is from the main foyer of the Town Hall. There are stairs to the left of the main entrance and a lift further down the foyer to the right. Accessible toilets are located at the Ground Floor Foyer toilets, plus one separate accessible bathroom. There is also an accessible bathroom on the Mezzanine level.
Programme:
Official Panel
- Beth Smith – Panel Chair and Sound Judge
- Jan Meyer – Music Judge
- Peggy Gram – Visual Communication Judge
- Lea Beverley – Expression Judge
- Sharon Connor – Panel Secretary
Convention Officials
- Claire Takacs (Competition Co-ordinator)
- Pam Brian (Chair of Regional Convention)
- Mary Cave-Palmer (Finance Co-ordinator)
- Leanne Wheeler (Education Co-ordinator)
- Andrea Ward (Official Panel Liaison)
- Jo Maxwell (Design and 40th Celebration)
- Marilyn Bishop (Registrar)
All things Registration
We are still accepting late registrations - use this link to register https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SANZ40thRego. Note for Chorus Finance Coordinators and Chapter at Large members - you must pay the late registration fees into the Sweet Adelines bank account by the closing date of 16 April 2025. Please also notify the Regional Finance Coordinator at [email protected].
Name tags and programmes can be collected from the Registration Desk by one representative from each chorus or quartet and distributed to members. Chapter at large members can collect their registrations individually.
Registration desk open times:
- Thursday 1 May 4pm – 5pm and 6.30pm – 7pm from. The desk will be located inside the James Hay Theatre.
- Friday 2 May 8.15am to 10 am, and 11.30am – 1pm. The desk will be located outside the upstairs entrance to the theatre.
Thank you to those who gave feedback about the online registration form. There were some useful suggestions, and we will take those on board for next year.
Traffic Patterns
Prue Blythe Memorial Trust (PBMT)
For over a decade, the PBMT has empowered young women singers by providing funding towards travel and education in the art of four-part harmony. Now, we need your help to continue supporting the next generation of potential Sweet Adelines! It's not too late to make a contribution. Every one — big or small—plays a vital role in supporting this important cause. Together, we can keep the harmony alive for years to come!
STAR Chorus
Anyone attending our regional competition who is a member of Sweet Adelines International (including visitors from overseas), and who is NOT competing in either the international or open division of the chorus competition, is able to sing in the STAR Chorus. Members of any evaluating choruses are able to sing in STAR Chorus. Members who are competing only in the quartet contest are also welcome to join the chorus.
Patti Cooke from Bella A Cappella will be directing and the songs are: Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow) (Fleetwood Mac), and Memories (Maroon 5). For Memories use the working copy of the music it is correct and has breathing plan marked for you. For Don't stop thinking about tomorrow learn tag1 and if you're a lead or baritone whose birthday is January to June learn lead/baritone 1 and if you're a lead or baritone whose birthday is July to December learn lead/baritone 2. STAR Chorus rehearsal rooms will be Friday 2 May 8.45 - 9.45 am in the Avon Room and Saturday 3 May 9.20 - 10.30 am also in the Avon. Note this is Flat Floor (no risers).
A message from Patti Cooke for STAR Chorus singers about what to wear:
- Follow the ruby theme with lots of bling and sparkle, or
- Dig into the storage and wear a past chorus or quartet costume to honour our special anniversary,
- Christchurch City Chorus members, you’ll be in the costume you wore in the finals in Kansas City
Sound Check Chorus
The Sound check will take place on Thursday 1 May 2025 at 7pm in the James Hay Theatre. Robyn Abernethy from Dunedin Harmony Chorus will be directing. You should know the songs well enough to sing without music. The songs will be How We Sang Today and Something in the Water.
Warm Kiwi Welcome
We will be giving an extra warm kiwi welcome to Ultra L Quartet from satellite area Japan. They have entered the Quartet Competition and will be contestant 2A. Note: they will not be eligible for awards at our competition and their entry does not impact on Region 35’s representation at International. They can qualify to compete at International by achieving 580 points or more and receiving a Wildcard entry.
Chorus Riser Rehearsal timetable
All rehearsal venues are located in the Christchurch Town Hall Complex, entrance through main doors from Kilmore Street. All rehearsals are flat floor.
Afterglow – Our theme for this evening is “Paint the Town Ruby!”
For those of you who love to dress up – please do! You can choose to attend the Dinner and the Afterglow, or just the Afterglow.
The 40th Anniversary Dinner will take place at the Limes Room, Christchurch Town Hall, the bar opens at 6.30 pm with dinner from 7pm on Saturday 3 May 2025.
We are now able to confirm that the dinner will be buffet style. Choices will be labelled as vegetarian or gluten free. If you have registered for the dinner and have any dietary requirements or allergies, please send me an email so I can advise the venue, and they will plan accordingly - [email protected]. The bar will open from 6.30pm. Please note, the venue is cashless. There will be some 40th Celebration formalities between courses.
For the Afterglow we will also be using the Victoria Room at the Town Hall for those who choose not to attend the dinner. The bar in the Victoria Room will open from 8.30pm. The 40th Anniversary special video presentation will be played in both the dinner & afterglow rooms, and once dinner is over everyone can move freely between these spaces. Supper will be served in both rooms.
Education Classes
Music in the Morning with Alex Charlton & Shelley Bascand. James Hay Theatre, Friday 2nd May 10 - 11.30am
Kick off your Friday morning with a lively and interactive session full of sparkle and sound! Join Alex and Shelley as they dive into the heart of barbershop performance - vocal skills, adding embellishments to modern repertoire, telling compelling stories, and using your whole instrument, body and soul, to elevate your performance from good to goosebumps.
We’ll be using our new mass song A Thousand Years as our session song to explore all these elements. Come ready to sing, move, laugh, and learn. Registration not required. This session is covered by your registration.
On Sunday 4 May 2025 we will have two education sessions at the Christchurch Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 49 Worcester Street, Christchurch.
Two of our judges, Beth Smith (Sound) and Lea Beverley (Expression) will conduct these classes.
- 10.30am – 11.30am Chorus Coaching under Glass
- 12pm – 1pm Quartet Coaching under Glass
The chorus and quartet will be selected by the judges. Numbers for each class will be limited to 170 due to space. These classes are included in your registration. Register for the classes here.
Mass Sing
This will take place in Victoria Square (beside the Town Hall Complex) at the conclusion of the Friday contest. If wet, it will be in the James Hay Theatre.
Traffic Pattern
Details of the Traffic Pattern will be forwarded to contestants in due course. Note that the drop off zone for the Town Hall complex is not under cover. Contestants exiting buses, vans or cars will be exposed to the weather for a few seconds, so if the weather is inclement, please wear a coat.
Audience Tickets
Door Sales will be available for both contests and tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the James Hay Theatre: $30 for a two-day pass or $20 for one day.
Vocalzone Lozenges
We’ve been extremely fortunate to have received sponsorship in the form of 400 boxes of Vocalzone Lozenges. These will be available for $8 per packet, at the sales table close to the upstairs entrance to the James Hay Theatre.
Trophies/Plaques
If you still haven't returned a trophy please contact Kim Cairns urgently on [email protected].
40th Anniversary Merchandise t-shirt and badges
About half of you indicated you’d like a badge! These beautiful ruby pins will be available for purchase for $8 each, at a sales table close to the upstairs entrance to the James Hay Theatre.
40th Anniversary T-shirt Collection - printed t-shirts will be available for collection, in chorus lots, (or individually for Chapter in Large members) from the Registration Desk at the times listed above, or from the Sales Table prior to both contests and during the breaks. Please assign one member of your chorus to collect the shirts for your chorus.
Weather
We will be well into autumn at the start of May. Be prepared for cool days and cooler nights, bring a raincoat and wear warm clothing to the Mass Sing.
Any queries about the convention please contact me, [email protected]
Pam Brian
Chair Regional Convention 2025
