Spirit Week 2014: House Singing Competition

It's Spirit Week at HBHS, to mark the end of a very busy term, and all week we will feature the range of activities, performances and competitions organised by the 2014 Prefects designed to send us off on our holidays in the very best of spirits.  The week got off to an absolutely fantastic start this morning, with the final of the major House Competition events, the always-anticipated House Singing.  The draw was made to decide the order, and Steel House was selected first (as they often seem to be) to perform a tuneful rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic".  They were followed by Tait hitting those high notes and singing "Danny Boy", with Taylor House singing the always-difficult "Jerusalem" third.  The Maori and Pasifika Tutor Groups provided a stunning performance of a traditional Fijian song in the interval, and the competition resumed with the always-polished Argyle performance of "Do You Hear the People Sing?", which we certainly did.  Baigent performed an energetic version of "Men of Harlech", and Wilson, led by their crowd-pleasing volunteer conductor Whenu Hokai finished the competition off with "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer".  The HBHS Choir sang a beautiful Irish Folk song "Foreign Lander" and proved that 20 voices can fill Gym 1.  Then, as the judges deliberated, the hotly anticipated sing-off between the Staff and the Prefects took place.  The Prefects had to sing first, thanks to a very-well-played round of Paper Scissors Rock by Mr Hakeney, and they led the school in a rousing, if slightly off-beat version of "One Love".  The Staff followed, and what followed meant that there really was no competition, as their version of "Po atarau" morphed into Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall."  The result?  Spirit Week scores thus far - Staff 1, Prefects 0.  The House Competition singing was much closer, with 7 points separating all 6 Houses.  The winners proved that having the hardest song and your lyrics cut out mid-performance were no barriers, and congratulations must go to Taylor on their victory.  The coveted Best Conductor Prize went to Argyle House's Aquila Kalsakau, for which he will received the pie.  Special thanks to our judges Mr Bryan Bevege and Whaea Marley Matenga, and to Mr Sutherland and Mr Botting for running such a brilliant event.  Spirit Week continues at lunchtime, with the Staff vs Prefects Debate in the Hall, and Staff vs Prefects Ultimate Frisbee on the front fields.  We will keep you posted!  The full list of House results from the singing competition follows: