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The North Shore Performing Arts Competitions Society was incorporated in 1954, and gradually grew to become one of the largest Competitions Societies in New Zealand. Ours is one of the few Societies in New Zealand which cater for all Performing Arts Forms: Dance (Ballet, Tap and Modern/Jazz), Instrumental (Piano, Piano Accordion and Strings), Speech and Drama, and Vocal (Young People's, Adult and Choral).
We provide a platform for competitors to display their talents, compare their performance with that of their peers and get experience on a public stage, which they may not be able to get elsewhere. The majority of our entrants come from the North Shore and Greater Auckland Region, but there are also many from other parts of New Zealand, and even from overseas.
Many well known singers have started their careers on our stage; Kiri Te Kanawa, Christopher Doig, Louise Malloy, losefa Enari, Patricia House, Katharine Watts, Gina Sanders, Patricia Wright, Deborah Wai Kapohe, Wendy Dixon, Annelies Chapman, John Rosser, Harold Laughton and Craig Donnell.
Among well known pianists who have started performing on our stage are; Patrick O'Byrne, Stephen de Pledge, Henry Wong Do, Justin Bird, Reid Gainsford, Catherine Mosley, Timothy Evans, Sandra Crawshaw, John Chen and Jason Bae.
In the acting world we note Meredith Braun, Simone Kessel, Ngaire Dawn Porter and Rachel House; and as well as Anne Anderson, Lee-Patrice, Jane McDermott, Nadine Tyson, Jane Turner, Jane Casson and Brendan Meek - dancing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet - we have representatives all over the world, including Nicola Jane Searchfield, Angela Gendall, Nicola Humphrey and Lisa Maree Cullum in England. In Germany are Meika McHardy, Amanda Houghton, Clytie Campbell, Sarah Little and Claudine Stephen-Smith, to name just a few.
We have a close relationship with other performing arts organisations, among them The Opera Factory, the Auckland branch of The New Zealand Opera Society and The Auckland Opera Forum.
Until 1978 various halls around Takapuna were used to hold the annual Festivals, usually working at more than one venue to accommodate the various Art Forms. The opening of The PumpHouse for performances was a tremendous event, and in 1978 the Society used the auditorium for the first time. Each year saw an improvement in the facilities as more amenities were added. The acoustics and surroundings were immensely popular with both contestants and audience, and the general atmosphere was such that the North Shore Competitions became known as the "Friendly Competitions".
Since then we have held our main Festival in The PumpHouse and utilised several other North Shore venues for four weeks, based around the first school holidays in April each year, with the Choirs Competitions held later in the year.
From 1975 to the present day, the Society has had only three Presidents, the late Les Kitney, lan Knight and Alan Reekie, and under their guidance the Society has gone from strength to strength. The office is located at Lake House Arts Centre, where committee meetings can be held and trophies, equipment and office records stored. |
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