The Holiday Course is a vital part of the preparation of the Representative Groups for the Festival. Because so much work takes place during this Holiday Course, attendance is compulsory – you MUST be able to attend EVERY day of the course.
Holiday Course
Each day, the Representative Groups will be taken through the pieces which they are preparing for the Festival. Some time may be spent learning parts in sectional rehearsals and choir members will be taught any movements.
New music may be introduced that may not been seen previously. During these three days, an enormous amount of fine-tuning goes into every piece – so Representative Group members need to be ready for some hard work, and may need to do some rehearsal at home in the evenings in preparation for the next day.
2025 dates
Monday – Wednesday 22-24 September
…the first three days of the first week of the Spring Holidays (end of Term 3).
Start times
Junior & Senior Choirs: Report by 8.45am for 9.00am start
Orchestra and Concert Band: Report at 8.45am to set up and tune for 9.00am start.
Finish times
Junior & Senior Choirs: 2.30pm; Orchestra: 2.30pm
Concert Band: 12.30pm
Venues
All groups – Avonhead School, Avonhead Road, Avonhead
What to wear and bring
What to wear: Tidy, casual
What to bring: Your instrument and music (if any), a snack to eat at the morning break, your lunch (if you are in the choirs or the orchestra), a pencil, a bottle of water.
What NOT to bring: Please do not bring gum and/or sweets.
Breaks
There is a Morning Tea break and a Lunch break, both of 30 minutes. You will be required to remain in the school for these – you are not allowed to leave the premises to buy your food, so make sure that you remember to bring your snack and/or lunch with you.
We require the assistance of teachers or of parents of children attending the Holiday Course to help supervise the children during their two 30-minute breaks on each day of the course. More details…