Gisborne Boys’ High School choir in concert

BROTHERHOOD: Tonight will be the last time Kereopa Ria (left), Quade Tapsell, Joseph Mason and Riley Horsfield perform with the choir. Picture by Mark Peters

THEY have sung with Gisborne Boys’ High choir since they joined the school as Year 9 students. Tonight will be the last time Kereopa Ria, Quade Tapsell, Joseph Mason and Riley Horsfield perform with the choir.

Kereopa was by far the youngest singer when he joined the choir. As a Manutuke School student, and brother of a choir member, he came into town and sat in on rehearsals. Then he joined in.

Quade was persuaded by a teacher to join, and Riley had aspired to join the choir since Boys’ High performed at Gisborne Intermediate where he was a student at the time.

Joseph’s inspiration was the choir’s performances.

"I went to their concerts. They were pretty mean,” he said.

Brotherhood, building connections with all age groups and singing together is what they enjoyed most, the four boys say.