Young Newzats vocalists impress contest audience

Toni Shanks (15), a year 11 pupil at Otago Girls High School, won the annual Newzats Cleveland Award contest for solo singers, in Dunedin yesterday.

A classical singer, she was "amazed" and thankful at gaining the $500 first prize in the senior awards, for year 11, 12 and 13 pupils.

Much of the credit should go to her singing teacher, Barbara Hendry, Toni noted.

Another Otago Girls High School pupil, Anna Thomson, and Ben Madden, of Otago Boys High School, took second and third places respectively in the senior awards, which attracted 29 singers.

Judy Bellingham, a member of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing Otago branch committee and a senior lecturer in voice at the University of Otago, said the 100-strong audience at the Marama Hall venue had been "absolutely gobsmacked" at the high standard of the contest.

The adjudicator was Angela Johnson, head of voice at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art, in Christchurch.

Other results. - Newzats Cleveland award, commended: Kerah Bruce (teacher, Gladys Hope), Taieri College; Mackenna Roxborogh (Judy Bellingham), Columba College.

Newzats encouragement award (years 9-10), Lydia Bernard (Barbara Hendry), Queens High School 1; Hazel Tansley-Broad (Patricia Payne), Columba 2; Laura Bridger (Barbara Hendry), Columba 3; commended, Tineke Jannink (Barbara Hendry), Columba.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz

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