Waitomo Caves choir will host its first open day for this year at the end of the month at the Ōtorohanga Baptist church.
And it is hoping to make up the needed balance of voices, the turnout will include blokes – particularly those with tenor voices, the comparatively high part of the male vocal spectrum.
The Waitomo Caves choir wants to attract new vocal talent.
“Men love the companionship in the choir,” the choir’s Katrin Woermer said. “They enjoy the banter that goes on in the group. We have a lot of laughs and support each other. Someone always has a story.
“We don’t need the same number of each voice – from high to low – soprano, alto, tenor and bass- but we do need some.
That’s not to say the lowest male voices, in the bass range, aren’t important. Another of the choir’s resident experts, Beth Dalton, call them “the plate on which the rest of the cake sits.”
The choir, usually up to 40 singers strong, is made up of community volunteers.
It’s a unique project mixing the Caves, this area’s most popular tourism destination, with the art of choral singing – and all its camaraderie.
It isn’t expected that everyone arrives already possessing these skills, because techniques are taught.
“There’s a range of abilities and levels of experience. Commitment is needed, because we want to put on a good performance.”
Woermer said the choir was a source of personal wellbeing.
“Even if I have arrived at a rehearsal feeling tired, that two hours of singing and breathing well means that afterwards, I feel energised, awake and refreshed.”
“Some people do yoga and others meditate, and singing has similar health benefits.”
They rehearse on Thursday nights, but only for a few months. While most community choirs practice all through the year, the Caves Choir doesn’t: for them, it’s just September, October and November.
There will also be weekend retreat at Marokopa, known as the “camplet” in late October.
The Waitomo Caves choir wants to attract new vocal talent.
