Viard barbershop excels in pan Pacific contest

Schools 20 December 2008 Viard College’s barbershop quartet, Pacific Flavours, has won fourth place in the ninth Pan Pacific Barbershop Convention in Hawai’i. Some 900 enthusiasts from countries in the…

Schools

20 December 2008

Viard College’s barbershop quartet, Pacific Flavours, has won fourth place in the ninth Pan Pacific Barbershop Convention in Hawai’i.

Some 900 enthusiasts from countries in the Pacific rim assembled in 28 quartets and 17 choruses.
Dec08ViardPacific.jpg Former Pan Pacific gold medalist, Matthew Gifford, coached the boys who also helped the Wellington regional chorus, Central Accord, to a fifth in their section.

Quartet member, Sonny Miti said the trip to Hawaii was ‘one of the greatest experiences’ of his life. It began when Pacific Flavours won first place in the Wellington regional barbershop competition.

‘This gave us confidence to move to the national level.

‘We sang our best and claimed gold once again. We were so excited with this accomplishment that we set our sights on the Pan Pacific Barbershop competition.
‘It took heaps of commitment, discipline and loads of fundraising which was really hard work! We held two concerts, which were set up with the help of our parents and teachers. We applied for funds, sold raffles and also had to wake up at 5.00am on holiday mornings to catch the 6.00am train so we could busk in town.
‘It was a lot of hard work but in the end it was all worth it!’

Image: Pacific Flavours members Chad Va, Sonny Miti, Daniel Afoiau and Fala Tuala Milo.