Voce Castello makes an impressive debut at Cadenza Festival
Posted on September 14, 2026
In its inaugural year, Macleans College’s treble-voice choir Voce Castello has earned recognition among New Zealand's leading secondary school choirs.
The choir travelled to Rotorua to perform at the Upper North Island Cadenza Festival, where it received a Wharauroa award and high praise for its performances.
Selection for the Cadenza Festival places Voce Castello among the top 60 choirs in New Zealand. More than 260 choirs competed in The Big Sing regional festivals to qualify for the event.
The achievement is particularly significant for the newly established choir and reflects the dedication of its singers and the leadership of director James Harrison.
Over three days, the singers performed recitals at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre and took part in workshops led by choral expert Brent Stewart. Brent served as the festival's adjudicator and clinician and is also a Macleans College alumnus (Hillary House 1998 - 2002).
In addition to the Wharauroa award, the choir was also commended by the adjudicator for its blend and resonant vocal tone.
The choir would like to thank the staff who helped make the trip possible. Appreciation goes to Mrs Williamson, Dr Miles and manager Mrs McNabb for their organisation, and to Mrs McDougall for helping the trip run smoothly and providing an educational tour of Rotorua. Special thanks also go to James Harrison for his leadership and commitment to the choir.
