Barihunks compete in "Battle for the BariThrone"

Joe Haddow, Jamie Henare, Will King & William McElwee (counterclockwise top left)

Four barihunks will compete on November 16th in the first annual Battle for the Barithrone at St Andrew's on The Terrace in Wellington, New Zealand. The lunchtime concert and competition will include Joe Haddow, Jamie Henare, Will King and William McElwee singing sprituals, comic opera, and operatic arias by Verdi and Mozart.

The promo for the event states: "

Since King Christian I abdicated his seat as the finest young baritone in Wellington, there has been no order in the Barikingdom! Where will the public look to find the Baritone Claw? Who will rise? Will the dark arts of the Bass-Barihorde prevail or will one of the true-hearted baritones ascend to the seat of Bariking?

British born Joe Haddow is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance at the New Zealand School of Music. He began his musical studies playing the saxophone at Aotea College when he decided to join a barbershop chorus, which prompted his interest in singing. He was the winner of the Robin Dumbell Memorial Trophy for young Aria entrant at the Wellington Regional Vocal Competitions.

Jamie Henare is a Graduate of The New Zealand School of Music, finishing up his post graduate diploma at the start of 2015.  He has been involved in music from an early age, playing guitar with various bands and singing barbershop. He sang the role of King Stanislaus in the Orpheus Choir’s 2012 production of Bernstein's Candide, Giovanni in The New Zealand School of Music's 2013 production of Verdi's early opera Il Corsaro and Leporello in Eternity Opera’s production of Mozart's Don Giovanni. In 2015, he won the New Zealand singing school Opera Australia award.

Auckland native Will King began singing as a boy soprano, getting his initial training with the Auckland Boys Choir and King’s School Chapel Choir. He realized his true passion for music after joining the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir in 2011. He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance Voice at Victoria University of Wellington. He made his professional debut as Lorenzo in the Days Bay production of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. With The New Zealand School of Music, he has performed in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges, Mr Gedge in Britten's Albert Herring and Bartolo in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. 

Wellington native William McElwee grew up playing the trumpet and piano, and also singing in his local church children’s choir. He has performed with numerous choirs, including the  Orpheus Choir, the Cathedral of St Paul’s Choir, Tudor Consort, and the St Mary of the Angel’s Choir. He has also played the guitar and bass guitar in local rock and rap bands. His interest in the guitar led him to take up the renaissance lute, playing with Straynge Discorde, New Zealand’s lute quartet, and other early music ensembles. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Classical Voice from the New Zealand School of Music. He has appeared in The New Zealand School of Music's productions of Verdi's Il Corsaro and Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
He has been a member of the New Zealand Opera Chorus since 2013. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Latin and English Language.

Additional information about the Battle for the BariThrone is available on their Facebook event page.