Each year the NZ Choral Federation holds a choral competition for secondary schools in NZ called the Big Sing. Regional contests are held for choirs and choral groups from secondary schools.

From these regional contests, 24 choirs are chosen from across the whole country for the Big Sing Finale, which will be held this year at Christchurch Town Hall.

The Federation then selects the next 12 best choirs in each of three regions - the South Island , the lower North and upper North Island. Each of these choirs then sing in a contest called the Cadenza - in Rotorua, Whanganui and Timaru.
This year's South Island Cadenza includes choirs representing the whole length and breadth of the South Island including the local Craighead Choir. The Craighead Choir is the 'reserve' choir for the national Finale contest.

The South Island contest is being held at Craighead Diocesan School Auditorium, with two public contest sessions - at 2.00pm on Friday 12 August and at 10.30am on Saturday 13 August in the Craighead Auditorium. Admission for these sessions is $5.00 per person per session.

During the Cadenza, the choirs are given tuition in several massed choir items by an internationally known conductor which will be sung, along with items by each individual choir at a Gala Concert, which will be held in the Basilica in Craigie Ave, Timaru at 7-00pm on Saturday 13 August..'