Simone Chivers wins the SOUNZ - NZCF Composition Competition

News Release: Tuesday 28 June, 2011

Simone Chivers wins the SOUNZ - NZCF Composition Competition

Simone Chivers of Queen Margaret College (QMC) has won the SOUNZ - NZCF Composition Competition, for her piece ‘Freedom; which was performed by the Queen Margaret Chorale at this year’s Regional Big Sing in Wellington.

Simone, a year 12 pupil, is a prolific composer and has a great passion for creating music. She is thrilled to have won the competition this year and says: “Composing music has been a hugely important part of my life. I am absolutely delighted to be recognised with this award and hope to continue composing music in the future”

Simone is studying Music at QMC as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, a two year course which is offered in place of National Certificate of Education Assessment (NCEA). A member of both the Sweet Margaritas (QMC’s Barbershop Chorus) and the Queen Margaret Chorale, she also plays piano and is a cast member of the College’s current Production “90 Years of Broadway”. Plus she is involved with the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) Young Musicians programme.

Simone is the latest in a line of recent composition successes at QMC, following a previous winner of the SOUNZ - NZCF Composition Competition in 2005, commended awards in this same competition, as well as successes in the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare composing competition and the Play it Strange song writing competition.

Adjudicator Gareth Farr comments regarding the standard of entries:

“Can I first say that I was utterly blown away by the amazingly high standard of ALL the pieces entered – compositions by 16 & 17 year olds – I've seen worse from established professionals. This is great news – I like to know that we'll be handing over the reins to people who know how to ride the horse.”

“I took this task extremely seriously – it matters to me hugely who the next generation of composers are and how we nurture them – and as such, I realise what a huge responsibility this is.”

Background on Competition:

SOUNZ - NZCF Composition Competition is run each year in conjunction with the Big Sing Choral Competition. Simone Chivers won with her piece ‘Freedom’, which the Queen Margaret Chorale will sing at the National Finale Gala Concert on August 24th in the Wellington Town Hall.

Background on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma:

QMC is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, authorised to teach the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the Primary Years' Programme and a Candidate School for the Middle Years' Programme.

The IB Diploma is a two year course which is taken in Year 12 and 13, its aim is to educate both the minds and the hearts of the students, who are enriched by a rigorous academic programme which enables them to gain acceptance at universities worldwide. Concurrent with this, students become citizens of the world - appreciating and practising international-mindedness.
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