Auckland Primary Principals’ Association

APPA Music Festival – Choral Choir Registration Information

It is now time to confirm your school’s participation in the 2021 APPA Music Festival to be held in the Auckland City Town Hall during October and November. If you would like your school choir to participate, please complete the registration form by clicking on the button below or by visiting the “Register” page. Note that all registrations are now done online via our online “shop”. If your school registered in 2020, you do not need to fill a new registration form, we will contact you using the information we have on file to confirm your participation.

Rehearsals and Performances in the Auckland Town Hall

All Choirs are expected to attend all scheduled area rehearsals, the Town Hall rehearsal and their performance night. Schools should note on the entry form if they are unable for any reason (e.g. school camps, sports’ days) to rehearse or perform on any of the above dates.

APPA Choir Trainers

Choir Trainers Meeting

Date to be advised shortly.

Choir trainers from every school registered SHOULD attend this meeting as advised by your APPA massed choir conductor. If you are unable to attend please send an apology to your APPA conductor and arrange for a substitute to come to the meeting in order to collect your choir music and lyrics.

At this meeting your APPA conductor and team will introduce some of the repertoire to be performed in November. You will be given copies of the music, words and CD accompaniment for part or the whole programme.

You may be asked to provide a memory stick for the lyrics and music.

Please read the following Commitment Form. It contains important information for the

• School Principal
• School Choir Trainer
• School Office Manager/Accounts Manager

If your school wishes to enter a choir or instrumental/dance group the Principal must be a financial member of the APPA, and the choir/school must pay a $100 registration fee.

After reading the commitment, please complete the online registration form by clicking on the link below.

Appa Music Festival – School Commitment

The Music Festival Committee aims to ensure that the APPA Music Festival represents the highest standard of musical performance by primary and intermediate school children in the Auckland area. In order to achieve this, all participating schools should adhere to the commitment guidelines as follows:

1. Provide a school Choir Trainer who has the musical knowledge or, with assistance from others, can ensure that the choir will reach a high standard of disciplined performance.
2. Provide a keyboard accompanist and/or a quality sound system for choir use;
3. Audition and select children in the Years 5 to 8 range who have the necessary self discipline, singing ability and commitment to perform at a high level;
4. Schedule suitable and adequate time slots in the weekly timetable for choir rehearsals. At least one weekly rehearsal should be of at least 45 minutes duration;
5. Demonstrate support for the choir by scheduling at least one rehearsal period during class contact time each week. Children will not then be in the position of having to decide between sport team practise, lunchtime leisure activities and choir practice;
6. Be responsible for transport costs to all rehearsals (usually four or five) and the Town Hall performance. (if not using private transport)
7. Commit to actively selling tickets to parents/friends for your night
8. Pay a $100 entry fee to the APPA .This will be invoiced to schools once the entry form has been received and accepted.

Massed Choirs of 400 – 450 are finely balanced for part singing by the APPA Festival conductors so it is imperative that school choir trainers keep their massed choir conductor informed of any changes to the information given on the registration form. It is particularly important that your APPA conductor is made aware of any changes to your choir numbers. Health and Safety regulations are becoming increasingly strict which means we must adhere to the choir sizes and ensure the massed choir is definitely no larger than 450 on every night.

Occasionally, school circumstances change and as a result the choir has to be withdrawn. If this should happen please contact your APPA Festival conductor immediately so that changes to the choral balance of the massed choir can be made or a choir on standby can join the festival in your choir’s place.

Please be aware :

Previously, a few schools withdrew very late in the year, too late to be replaced with another school choir. This created a high level of frustration for the massed choir conductors as a noticeable imbalance in the part singing occurred. It is essential that your school understands the requirements and is fully committed to taking part in the festival before completing the online entry form.

Please note that the greatest care is applied in placing choirs with their closest geographical schools for ease of travel to rehearsals but this is not always possible. It is essential to add a second option for preferred conductor to give some measure of choice. If you have no preference, please state this and you will be placed as close as possible to other schools.

Thank you.

Leyette Callister
Festival Chairperson
Howick Primary School
l.callister@howickprimary.school.nz