Musical director Beth Dalton takes the tenors and bases through their paces, from left, Ian McGillivray, Karsten Benz, Don Richardson, Neville Phillips, Ben Stubbs.
Preparations for this year’s Carols in the Caves celebrations are well under way, with the choristers tuning up with regular practices.
Waitomo Caves Choir is a local non-auditioned acapella choir that has performed Carols in the Caves every year (bar one Covid casualty) since 1991.
The choir attracted an audience from within and outside the district, with many coming back year after year, Waitomo Caves Music Society president Katrin Woermer said.
Since the initial call for singers in September, people from around the district have come together and have been putting in lots of time to prepare for and organise the community event.
“Titiwai (Glow worms) Children’s Choir is also directed by Beth Dalton (musical director of the Caves Choir) and comprises primary school-aged children from throughout the district. Several of them have, over the years, ‘graduated’ from Titiwai to the adult choir,” Katrin said.
Waitomo Caves Choir is a non-profit society that returns any donations generated (after running costs) to the community to foster musical development for groups and individuals.
They have been practising from early September, including some weekends.
One of them was the “camplet” at Marokopa on Rugby World Cup final weekend in late October.
“We spent a day practising and polishing pieces as well as socialising,” Katrin said.
Concerts run for three nights, Friday to Sunday, and although there is room and demand for more, the audience is limited to 200 a night to keep the carbon dioxide concentration at a safe level for the limestone formations and glowworms.
Tickets can be booked by phone at the Waitomo i-Site. Entry is by donation with a recommended amount of $20/adult, cash sales, no eftpos available.
