Kotuku Choir to hold fundraising concert

3 February 2009
An international singing sensation dubbed "the singing policeman" will perform at a fundraising concert on Saturday 21 February to help fund a permanent home for Wellington’s Kotuku Choir.

New York policeman Daniel Rodriguez rose to international fame when he sang at the funerals of his colleagues and for an audience of 50,000 in the Yankee Stadium after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. He has since recorded albums, toured the world, performed on American television and at major events, including a performance at the White House for former President George Bush.

The fundraising concert, Kotuku Rising, will be held at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington. The concert will also include performances from New Zealand baritone Zane Te Wiremu Jarvis, Shakespeare Globe New Zealand, the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul Choristers, the Wellington Male Voice Choir and the Plops.

Special performance

Kotuku Choir founder and director Sharon Thorburn says the concert will also feature a special performance by London-based Tiffin Choir, which is touring New Zealand in February to support Kotuku.

“Tiffin is one of Britain’s foremost boys choirs, which regularly performs at Covent Gardens and the Royal Opera House. We performed with them when we visited Britain last year, ” Sharon says.

“It’s going to be a very special night with more than 300 children performing alongside Kotuku on stage. Some of these children have never performed in such a big concert before.”

Kotuku Choir is a pilot early intervention programme, mentoring youth through music to overcome abuse, violence and social barriers.  The choir combines children from all backgrounds to learn from each other.

Supreme Award winner

The choir recently won the Supreme Award at the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards and will represent Wellington at the National Awards in March.

Sharon says that after four years the choir urgently needs to find a permanent base for practices and to store equipment.  Last year the choir’s uniforms were stolen from Sharon's car.

“We have a long waiting list of children wanting to join the choir but we need a permanent home to base ourselves before we take on any more children and to store our equipment so hopefully our gear won’t be stolen again.”