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Manukau's Top Young Talent Stands Up and Stands Out

Monday 30 August 2010, 2:45PM

By Manukau City Council

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MANUKAU CITY

Young performers had their chance to shine on Friday night at Manukau’s Secondary Schools Performing Arts Awards, Stand Up! Stand Out!.

Students from schools from across Manukau and surrounding areas competed for the chance to be named best in their category by industry professional judges Godfrey de Grut, Cherie Mathieson and Parris Goebel.

Hannah Horsfield of Mt Albert Grammar was judged best in the solo vocal category for her rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, with Suli Juliet Finau of Otahuhu College being awarded second place.

Aorere College shone in the group vocal section, with their barbershop groups Clash Chords and The 4 Elements taking out first and second place respectively with their outstanding medley performances.

The standard and the energy in the group dance section were equally high, with the top two positions ultimately being awarded to two crews from Manurewa High School; Resample in first and Pro Erra in second.

String instruments were the flavour of the day in the solo instrumental category, with first place awarded to guitarist Sy Woo Kim from Macleans College and second to guitarist Daniel Hou from Mt Albert Grammar.

The final category of the night was hotly contested by six very talented bands. Papakura High School’s Urban Legacy were judged best on the evening, with Mt Roskill Grammar’s Emensis following in second place.

The evening went out on a high note with an incredible surprise performance by judge Parris Goebel’s hip hop dance crew ReQuest, performing the routine that recently had them named best in the world at the world hip hop dance champs in Las Vegas.

Judge Godfrey de Grut neatly summed up the evening in his concluding statement, “Tonight the performers stood up, they stood out; the standard was excellent.”