Strictly Acappella

People are trying to find their own voice, and we're getting a lot of Pacific stuff in the performances now. A lot of people are blending the culture of their own roots with what they're hearing on radio. It would be nice to think that in a few years time we're going to be hearing something that's a lot more indigenous, and I think that'll happen.

– Composer Jonathan McKeown-Green (aka John McKeown)

I think perhaps the appeal of a cappella singing to an audience is its apparent spontaneity, it seems very spontaneous, in my view actually nothing could be much less spontaneous it’s very difficult to do.

– Composer Jonathan McKeown-Green (aka John McKeown)

When I was a kid I lived across the road from St Pius church, and the Samoan choir used to turn up there ... and I’d listen to the music, I’d listen to the choir singing, amd listen to the verbratos banging against each other, and the harmonies; weird harmonies, fifths and thirds and some other little things in there somewhere. Individually they sort of broke a whole lotta rules, but all together it worked. Magical, absolutely magical.

– Dave Dobbyn