Leech to lead Kowhai Singers

Kowhai Singers’ search for a new musical director has at last been successful, with the recent appointment of Ken Leech to lead the group in 2023.

The choral group has been looking for a new leader since previous director Amy Cottingham returned to the US during covid and Susan Hayday took over for the interim last year.

Leech has extensive experience over many years with choral ensembles, as a singer, conductor and composer of choral music, and he recently moved north from Auckland city to Waitoki.

He has sung with a number of respected groups, including the Auckland Dorian Choir, Harbour Voices and the Castorways chamber choir, and has conducted for choral groups and church choirs for many years.

“The idea is to ride, stop, eat, drink, have fun, ride again, allowing for relaxing breaks at each of the three pit stops and taking a cruising riding pace,” she says. “Riders should expected to take around 70 minutes to complete the course.”

Riders are encouraged to dress up, register a team with family or work colleagues and make a day of it.

The event ends with a free carnival on Western Reserve with bouncy castles, food trucks, music, clowns and face painters.

Bike Auckland will run a Bike Valet system to keep all the bikes safe and orderly, throughout the post-event carnival.

Anyone in the community is welcome to attend the carnival once the ride concludes – this is not limited to just those entering the cycle event.

Although it is free to enter, all riders must register prior to the event – for more info, or to register, email hellen@Ōrewabeach. co.nz or visit https://Ōrewabeach.co.nz/

Leech is also an active member of the Association of Choral Directors and regularly attends conferences and conducting workshops.

His debut with the Kowhai Singers will take place at the first rehearsal of the year, which takes place on Monday, February 13 at the Warkworth Methodist Hall, on the corner of Church Hill and Hexham Street, at 7.15pm.

Leech says anyone is more than welcome to attend and there are no auditions required to join.

“We’re very happy for people to come along and just try it out with no obligation whatsoever,” he says. “Everyone is welcome, so we’re more than happy for people to come along to a couple of rehearsals to see whether it’s for them.”

And with a self-confessed eclectic taste in music, Leech promises a varied repertoire of songs for the coming season.

“I like to do a very wide range of music. The first concert we’re doing is quite classical – it’s the 400th anniversary of the death of William Byrd, so we’ll do some pieces by him, as well as some nice works by Bach, Faure and Mendelssohn,” he says.

“But the next concert might be jazz, it might be popular music, or songs from the shows –we’ll do a really wide range of music.”

Leech says he’s looking for hard work from his choristers, but not at the expense of fun.

“My philosophy is very much that rehearsals have to be the right balance between feeling that you’ve worked hard, but you’ve really enjoyed yourself as well. The process needs to be enjoyable and fun, otherwise what’s the point, while at the same time you’ve got to work hard,” he says.

“I’m really looking forward to presenting the people of this area with a wonderful experience of choral music.”

Kowhai Singers chair Roger Mackay says he’s delighted at Leech’s appointment and is confident the group will benefit from his extensive experience of choral singing, conducting and his belief in the need for music that entertains the audience and provides interest for the singers, as well.

Kowhai Singers’ first concert is planned for Sunday, May 21 at 4pm at Warkworth Town Hall. Info: https://kowhaisingers.yolasite.com/

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