New Zealand Youth Choir Principal Sponsor – INFRATIL

Embargoed until 12.00 noon Friday, 29 June 2012

New Zealand Youth Choir Principal Sponsor – INFRATIL

Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand Trust is delighted to announce Infratil as Principal Sponsor of the New Zealand Youth Choir.

The sponsorship, which is for an initial three-year period, will provide a minimum of $100,000 per year.

Trust chair, Trevor Kempton, said, “This is an extremely significant and timely sponsorship for the organisation which opens the door for an exciting future for the Choir. It will allow opportunities to increase its size and develop its full potential through performances and recordings. We are fortunate to have Infratil as a partner and are excited about the future with their backing.”

Marko Bogoievski Infratil CEO said “We are delighted to be able to help. Infratil is owned by 31,000 New Zealanders and its success is based on being a welcome member of its communities. Singing in a choir is New Zealand’s most popular form of participatory music, thousands of people sing with school, church and social choirs and other groups. As with so many endeavours, participation works best when there is also excellence, both as a goal and to ensure there are skilled teachers and leaders. By providing sponsorship of Choirs Aotearoa we hope we can assist with the development of excellence for the good of both those singing now and in years to come.”

Infratil provides crucial infrastructural in New Zealand and Australia through its ownership of TrustPower, Z Energy, Wellington Airport, NZ Bus and Lumo Energy.

The New Zealand Youth Choir is nationally auditioned with membership open to young singers between the ages of 18 and 25 years. It has achieved outstanding success since its formation in 1979. Performances throughout New Zealand and eight international tours have firmly established its reputation for excellence, consistency, and energy. Former members of the choir include international opera stars Simon O’Neil, Jonathan Lomalu, and Anna Leese.

In 2010 the NZ Youth Choir performed in the NZ International Arts Festival in Wellington and undertook an international tour to Singapore, South Korea, Australia and the World Expo in Shanghai. Choirs Aotearoa’s Artistic Director, Karen Grylls, conductor of the Youth Choir since 1989 and responsible for much of its success, last year handed over the baton to David Squire who was himself a NZYC member, later graduating to sing in Voices NZ, New Zealand’s national chamber choir.

/ENDS

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