Kelli Allison's blog

We did it! We are thrilled to be the 2022 New Zealand Sweet Adelines Chorus Champions, and achieving 1st Place as the Sweet Adelines International Division A Small-size chorus. Check out our winning performance.

This means Waikato Rivertones Chorus will represent NZ in Louisville, Kentucky USA in October 2023!!! We’ll be performing onstage and will enjoy watching around 30 other choruses from across the world.

We all have our fingers crossed that it actually happens this time, as we were all revved up to compete there in 2020 when an annoying little virus hit the world… Optimism rules though, so now it's all about the preparation and practice, practice, practice...

It's always sad when a Waikato Rivertones member leaves, especially when they are an integral part of the chorus. Jean Brooker has been with us for almost 12 years in roles such as Team Coordinator, Secretary, Fundraising assistant, and Bass Section Leader (aka Bass Camp Mother). Jean's been in various choirs since her school days, and joined Rivertones after a work colleague brought her along to a rehearsal. 'Before the evening had even started I was whisked out the back and auditioned - very scary when you had only turned up to listen! By the end of the evening I was hooked.' Some highlights have been winning 3 National Gold Medals and the 2021 People's Choice medal.

Well, yes we do actually! Getting regular doses of musical education is a huge bonus of being a WRT Rivertones member. As well as weekly tips at rehearsals, we usually have a couple of weekend 'retreats' each year with international or national coaches to help us polish our performances. At a recent retreat with vocal coach Virginia Humphrey-Taylor I learnt all about the benefits of coning, keeping my chin down and improving my breathing by widening my nostrils (I had no idea that nostril tape was a thing!). We have choreography to learn too (I'll talk about my dancing skills another time though lol). 

Retreat weekends are also a chance to have some fun, get to know each other better and have 'me' time.

It's a month of performances for the Waikato Rivertones...which we love! Lots of rehearsals and extra practices so we're ready to perform soon at Harmony Breakout and at the Cambridge Christmas Festival. See our Events page for more details - we'd love you to come along.

I remember feeling apprehensive when I went to my first Waikato Rivertones (WRT) chorus rehearsal last year. I'd recently moved back to Hamilton and decided to finally get round to singing again. I did some googling on Hamilton choirs and saw that WRT were having an open night. After a quick stalk of their website, I decided to take the plunge and head along. Turned out it wasn't that scary as there were a bunch of other apprehensive newbies like me, and we were warmly welcomed by various chorus members who came up to say hi and put us at ease. For those of you thinking of joining, you'll be taken under the wing of our wonderful WRT Membership Coordinator Robyn Baron.