The Big Sing competition puts on a show for its 30th year

Suzanne Purdy conducts the Napier Girls' High School choir at The Big Sing 2019 for the East Coast region competition. Photo / Warren Buckland

New Zealand Choral Federation's The Big Sing is back again in Hawke's Bay for its 30th year.

The national competition has been running annually for 30 years and has more than 10,000 students taking part around the country.

The East Coast competition saw students from secondary school choirs from Gisborne to Central Hawke's Bay all performing at the Waiapu Cathedral on May 29 and 30.

Napier Boys' High choir put on a performance for the crowd at the Waiapu Cathedral. Photo / Warren Buckland

Over 600 students took part with nine choirs singing on Wednesday and 13 on Thursday.

NZCF East Coast The Big Sing co-ordinator Glenys Kempshall has been working at the event since the beginning and says the competition has grown substantially over the years.

"It has really changed over the years, there have been just more and more people coming through every year," Kempshall said.

Adjudicator Jono Palmer seems to be happy with range of talent the East Coast had on offer. Photo / Warren Buckland

"The event is absolutely massive now."

On both nights a gala event was held where each choir sings two songs each and is judged by conductor Jono Palmer.

Wednesday night's gala saw three awards handed out, two to Iona College and one to Napier Girls' High School.

Emily Mackie conducts the Woodford House choir as the judges look on. Photo / Warren Buckland

Iona College won the New Zealand Composition or Arrangement and received the Von Dadelszen Family Award which has presented annually since 2002.

They also won the Hawke's Bay Secondary Music Teachers Trophy for their rendition of Remember Me by L. Farnell.

Napier Girls' High School won the Hawke's Bay Secondary Principals Association Trophy for their singing of Seal Lullaby by E. Whitacre with Lyrics by Rudyard Kipling.