Media Release from the New Zealand Music Awards www.nzmusicawards.co.nz

TUI FOR TOWER VOICES

October 18, 2006

'Spirit of the Land' by Voices New Zealand is the country's top classical album for 2006.

The Tui award for Best Classical Album was presented by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) at the New Zealand Music Awards 2006 held tonight (October 18) in Auckland.

Voices New Zealand was formed in 1998 under Dr Karen Grylls as a nationally selected chamber choir, flexible in size, and capable of performing a wide repertoire.

The choir made its debut at the 1998 New Zealand Festival and in the intervening years has participated in a wide range of national and international festivals and competitions.

Notable successes include gold and silver awards at Tolosa International Choral Competition in Spain, the completion of a world premiere recording of the Vanhal masses for Naxos, representing New Zealand at the first Asia South Pacific Symposium on Choral Music in Singapore and a sell-out solo recital at the New Zealand Festival.

The choir also represented New Zealand at the 9th International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany, performed at the New Zealand International Arts Festival in march 2006 and participated in the NZSO Mozart Festival.

The other finalists in the Best Classical Album were Bridget Douglas and Rachel Thomson for 'Taurangi' and The New Zealand Trio for 'Spark'.

The Best Classical Album category is one of seven in the New Zealand Music Awards 2006 that was judged by voting schools comprising up to 10 expert representatives from that genre or sector of music.

The awards were held at the Aotea Centre.

Issued for the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand by Pead PR.