The capacity crowd at Gibsons Heritage Playhouse gave the Kotori children's choir a standing ovation, June 30. The children went on to compete in Powell River's International Kathaumixw Choral Festival July 1 to 5 where they won first prize in the adjudicated contemporary choral music category. It was the only choir to get a standing ovation in the first place winners' concert July 4. Kotori (Japanese for little bird) consists mainly of elementary school children from Narita, near Tokyo. They had just 12 minutes for their winners' segment, while the audience at the Heritage Playhouse was treated to almost two hours without intermission, and the choir's two boys and 11 girls were excellent throughout. Two members of the choir are only five years old, and five Kotori children were featured soloists. Everything was performed from memory. The choir is a credit to Tokyo University vocal graduate Machiko Takahashi, the choir's founder (1980) and conductor, a wonderful voice trainer. Brava!
