. "TAWA GOES TO TOWN" 2010 .

"Tawa Goes to Town" was again the theme for this year's Tawa Schools' and Community Music Festival which took place in the Michael Fowler Centre on Thursday, 16 September 2010. This vibrant multi-media show featured 700 singers from Tawa's six primary schools, Tawa Intermediate, and Tawa College's Dawn Chorus, as well as an adult choir from the Tawa community and beyond.

The programme featured a variety of songs, and included arrangements of classics like "Fly Me to the Moon", "Let Me be There", "The Climb", "Somebody to Love," and a medley of Michael Jackson favourites like "Gone Too Soon", "Man in the Mirror", and "Earth Song".

Some songs were left as choral numbers, while others were accompanied by dances, choralography, props and special effects. There were solo, group and instrumental interludes between brackets of songs.

Tawa College musicians Murray Cameron and Shona Murray teamed up as Producer and Musical Director, whilst well-known choreographer, Sara Scott, who choreographed Tawa College's successful production "Standing Ovation" last year, oversaw the dance and theatrical numbers. Martin Burdan was the "piano man" again and has been since the festival was first held in the Michael Fowler Centre in 1982. Musical backing was provided by a combo of experienced instrumentalists and young and talented music students from Tawa College. The remarkable thing about the show is that all the production team and volunteers from the community donate their time and talent. There is huge cost involved in the multi-media aspects of the show with professional lighting and sound, plus the cost of the Michael Fowler Centre.

It was a spectacular evening's entertainment with around 1600 in the audience including the Mayor of Wellington and two local MPs.

Here is some of the feedback received by the organisers:

"Congratulations on a fantastic evening on Thursday. Having not been to the last few festivals, I'd forgotten how amazing they are and I can only imagine the hours and hours of work you put in to making them such memorable events."

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it was a pleasure to be in such great company and amongst so many talented musicians."

"We took our 9 year old granddaughter who attends ........ school [outside Tawa] and I think she wishes her parents lived at Tawa!"

"Really enjoyed being a part of it all, still have the songs going round in our heads and probably will for a long time."

1.  Let There be Peace on Earth .
2.  Maori Battalion Medley .
3-4.  Titiro Mai (Look at me, I'm a really good cowboy) .
5.  Jason Pine, the MC, doing his bit .

6.  Come So Far with Redwood School & St Francis Xavier dancers .
7.  Come Fly With Me .
8.  Kildunne School of Irish Dance .
9.  It Had Better be Tonight with college dancers .
10.  More than 300 primary & intermediate singers, in addition to college & adult choir .

11.  Ghost Busters featuring Matt Mulholland .
12.  Hey There with Redwood School & St Francis Xavier dancers .
13.  The Climb with intermediate dancers .
14.  The Joint is Jumpin' with college dancers .
15.  Three cellos playing Le Cygnet (the Swan) .

16-17.  Dance Medley including YMCA .
18.  Gone Too Soon with college dancers .
19-20.  Man in the Mirror with college dancers .

21-23.  Earth Song with Fred Pereira .
24.  Musical Island Boys performing three numbers .
25.  Fly Me to the Moon .

26.  Instruments of Peace .
27-28.  Dancing Fool with Tim Jorgensen .
29-30.  Somebody to Love .

31.  More of Somebody to Love .
32.  Men singers and some of Tawa College's Dawn Chorus .
33.  Women singers and some of Tawa College's Dawn Chorus .
34.  Let Me be There .
35.  Sara Scott, Martin Burdan, Shona Murray, Murray Cameron

36-38.  Finale: Come so Far .