Rewa Costar presents a vocal performance
Local singer Rewa Costar will perform at The Mussel Inn to raise money for her choir’s tour. Photo: Neil Wilson
Golden Bay music-lovers will get the chance to hear local singer Rewa Costar in performance on Saturday 4 July.
Rewa (16) says she loves to perform and would like to eventually pursue a career as a singer. She is looking forward to the concert at The Mussel Inn.
Rewa boards in Richmond and attends Waimea College so that she can sing in the school’s highly rated choir Belle a Cappella.
“That’s one of the reasons behind my concert at The Mussel Inn,” said Rewa. “Belle a Cappella has been selected to perform in the national final of The Big Sing in August and the trip is going to cost me about $700. I hope the concert will help with my fundraising.”
The Big Sing is the New Zealand Choral Foundation’s national secondary schools’ choral event in which only invited choirs participate. Belle a Cappella will be undertaking a week-long South Island tour before the event, performing and participating in workshops in Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru and Oamaru.
Rewa said that the concert also gave her the chance to say thanks to Golden Bay people who were important early influences.
“Rudolf Samper’s going to be accompanying me on the upright bass for one of the songs in the concert,” said Rewa. “That’s really nice because Rudolf originally came and started to teach me piano when I was five. When that didn’t work out, he got me started on singing. Carole Gamby and Melinda Machin were really helpful to me when I was starting out too. It’s nice, and a little bit nerve-wracking, to be able to sing at the Mussel and know that some of those important people from my home town might be there.”
Rewa will perform a diverse repertoire on Saturday. “I like to sing all kinds of music,” she said. “I’ve been working on my performance pieces for level 3 NCEA solo performance and I’d like to share them with the crowd. There’ll be jazz and blues and an aria and some show songs too.”
Pam Sims, Rewa’s singing teacher from Nelson, says that Rewa could eventually make a career as a classical singer if she chose to.
“She definitely has the goodies,” said Pam. “Her voice is mature, warm and voluptuous, and she has a good work ethic too. She’s flexible and interested in a range of styles and genres so she’s not blinkered.”
Entry to Rewa’s concert is by koha.
Neil Wilson
