News Story

BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir Entertains and Lifts Spirits in Auckland

The Brigham Young University-Hawaii Concert Choir packed several performances into its three-day visit to Auckland, Friday to Sunday 14-16 June.

Last night [Sunday 16 June] the choir sang for approximately 700 young adults at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Redoubt Road, Manukau stake centre.  Two members of the choir also spoke about their experiences in the choir and their feelings about their faith as Latter-day Saints.

Elder F. Michael Watson, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as a member of the Church’s Pacific Area Presidency, presided over the gathering last night. 

Elder Watson and his wife Sister Jolene Watson hosted Brigham Young University-Hawaii president, Professor Steven C. Wheelwright and his wife, Sister Margaret Wheelwright at the meeting.

Both Elder Watson and President Wheelwright spoke to the young people in attendance last night, encouraging them to obtain all the education they could obtain, and to use that education to build strong families and contribute to society in significant ways.

A group of local Latter-day Saint young adults had the opportunity to sing with the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir last night. According to Elder Watson, “they were superb, giving our visitors a chance to experience first-hand some of the talents of our own New Zealand Latter-day Saint young people.”

On Saturday evening the choir performed at Parnell’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. Guests were invited to make a gold coin donation upon entry. All donations will go to De Paul House, a Catholic charity in the Auckland suburb of Northcote that provides housing and other support services to individuals and families in need.

One guest described the choir as “absolutely marvelous” and the event as “a wonderful evening.” 

“We loved every minute of it. What fun! What a truly great account they made of themselves with every song and actions performed throughout,” she said.

Massey High School's choir also performed on Saturday night, as a curtain-raiser for BYU-Hawaii.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown and other dignitaries were hosted by Latter-day Saint leader, Elder Paul Coward and his wife Sister Julie Coward.

During the choir’s short stay in Auckland they also sang for over 500 Latter-day Saint teenagers at a youth meeting in Robertson Road, Mangere on Friday evening.

Earlier on Friday the choir performed on TVNZ’s Good Morning program before visiting AUT campus in the city where the choir performed for university staff and students in a “flash mob” performance.

The BYU-Hawaii students also visited three Auckland high schools, running workshops with school choirs.  

Choir members gave another public performance at Sylvia Park Westfield shopping centre on Saturday, to the delight of lunchtime shoppers.

The choir is now headed to Wellington where they will give two performances tomorrow [Tuesday 18 June] — one at Te Papa, and another in Porirua.

The group then travels to Brisbane for more performances before heading back to Hawaii.

Read more about the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir and its 2013 South Pacific tour here.

Style Guide Note:When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.