11 Dec 25 - Resident stories
From courtroom to chorus
In her former career as a barrister, Ann Day interpreted laws and precedents, crafting arguments with nuance and insight. Now, as a choir singer she continues to interpret and persuade – this time through musical scores, conveying emotion and meaning with the power of her voice.
Ann enjoyed singing from an early age. At school, Ann used to sing every morning in assembly. “I was taught by nuns, and you don’t get through a school taught by nuns without singing!”
Despite her early introduction, Ann didn’t think about singing again until she was much older. “University, career, children, husband... I was too busy. It just went to the back of my mind.”
After marrying her husband, Chris, the couple and their two children moved around New Zealand for Chris’ job. Ann had studied law at Victoria University, and, drawn by the flexibility of making her own hours and choosing her own clients, Ann became a family law barrister specialising in advocating for children. It was only when she started thinking about retirement after 20 years as a barrister that Ann thought about singing again.
“I had a good think about what I wanted to include in my life post-career. A choir was high on the list.”
Singing has a myriad of benefits, explains Ann. “You breathe better. Your posture is better – you can’t sing if you are slouching. It is also good for the brain. It uses different neural pathways, which is important as you age.” Health benefits aside, Ann enjoys the social aspect. “You gain a whole new circle of friends – people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. Some of them became quite good friends very quickly.”
Ann wanted to join a community choir; a choir that was open to all ages and backgrounds, without auditions. Her research led her to discover Pakuranga Choral. “It is a community choir, but a very good one. There are some excellent singers.”
Pakuranga Choral is an SATB choir; a vocal ensemble with four distinct voice parts: soprano (the highest range), alto, tenor and bass (the lowest, usually sung by men). Ann is an alto, which tends to be a more harmonising part.
Commonly choirs have more women than men, and Pakuranga is no exception.
“We do have a good number of men, though, so the tenor and bass parts are well represented.” The choir performs three times a year, singing a variety of classical, contemporary and Christmas numbers. Rehearsals are weekly in the 12-week lead-up to each performance.
“We may have extra rehearsals if the pieces are particularly tricky,” says Ann. “Last year we did Haydn’s Nelson Mass, which is the top end of what we can sing, so a few more rehearsals were needed.”
The choir is led by prominent New Zealand composer and conductor David Hamilton, who has conducted the choir since 2017.
For many years the choir performed at All Saints Church in Howick, but building work on the church means the choir has now relocated to nearby St Andrews. The choir has been going for more than 40 years, with current numbers averaging 40 members. “In Covid times it was obviously less – it’s hard to sing with a mask on!” remarks Ann. Members’ ages also vary. “Our youngest is around 40, and the eldest member is 91! She has a wonderful voice,” Ann says. “Singing at school then stopping is a common theme for our members. They come back to it later in life.”
Currently holding the position of the choir’s Chair, Ann also plays the piano and has a keyboard at her Summerset St Johns home. “I use it to practice for the choir. You don’t need to read music to be part of the choir, although it helps. I am happy to teach anyone who wants to learn.”
Ann and Chris, who have been married for 53 years, moved into Summerset St Johns in December 2024. The couple decided to make the shift after learning they would need to move out of their St Heliers apartment for repair works. “It got us thinking about the next stage, and we thought we should move now while we are healthy,” explains Ann. “Our rationale for a retirement village was that if something happens to one of us, then the other one is supported. We have seen a few retirement villages and liked how modern Summerset St Johns is. It is so centrally located that we just catch the bus.”
The couple have a three-bedroom apartment with a city view. “It is stunning at night. Having the extra bedrooms is handy for visitors – my sister is coming over from Canada and is staying with us for six weeks.”
Unlike Ann, Chris is not into singing. “He has played bowls for the last 20 years. He and another bowler give lessons to residents who want to learn. And we both take part in exercise classes here. We have settled into village life well!”
This is an article from the Summer 2025 edition of Summerset Scene magazine