Group become their school's first girl choristers - previously a boy-only domain
When Sarah Lowe watches her young charges practising she feels she is seeing equality in action in Christchurch. Lowe is the musical director at The Cathedral Grammar School, the oldest, traditional prep school in New Zealand. Her young charges are the 12 girls who make up the schools Girl Choristers. This year is the first in the schools 139-year history that girls have been included as choristers. The central city school, within walking distance of Christchurch Cathedral, was founded in 1881 solely to educate the Anglican Cathedrals boy choristers. A strong connection between the church and the school remains to this day. The director of girl choristers, Alex Goodwin, is also the cathedrals assistant organist. READ MORE: * Kids' climbing playground 'invites adventure and story-telling' * Christchurch school leaders quiz Education Minister Chris Hipkins during city visit * Christchurch students trade lace ups on Gumboot Friday to pump up mental health service * Chamber Music finals will baroque you Goodwin hails from England and has been surprised at the depth of musical talent in the small school, in a small city, in a small country. Frank Films Changing South crew has been filming before and after school sessions, as Goodwin tutors the young singers in liturgical music. Lowe admits its as technical as music gets. Lowe had to pitch to the school and the church to give girls the same opportunity as boys. Im not revolutionary in the world, England has been doing this since 1991. Im revolutionary for New Zealand. Twelve-year-old Maddie Glossop is thrilled the opportunity to be a chorister has arisen in her last year at the school. Im glad I was still there when it actually happened. On the day Frank Film visits, principal Scott Thelning is bopping to the beat of the schools rock band, performing a lunchtime concert on the rooftop playground. The school has six bands, traversing traditional, liturgic music to rock. Thelning believes the advent of girl choristers fits well into the school boards blueprint for the future. Twelve girls auditioned for the first intake, now Lowe is hoping to cast the net wider and potentially work with local runanga in order to make a process work for them, not just that they come and sing with our girls but that we make this environment one thats going to appeal and work for our full New Zealand culture. Frank Film followed the girl choristers as they performed in public for the first time since their formation in early February. The girl choristers are going to be a force to be reckoned with, Goodwin said. Im obviously biased in the extreme, but theyre already a close-knit team. Watch video for full story. www.frankfilm.co.nz