A seat at the table : New Zealand and the United Nations Security Council, 2015-2016

This fascinating look at global politics follows New Zealand's fourth term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, from 2015 to 2016. Its engrossing chapters by key players, from the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Murray McCully to the two-term New Zealand President of the Security Council Gerard van Bohemen, offer real insights into the Council's day-to-day workings. This book examines New Zealand's efforts to improve Council processes, and asks: Given the dominance of the P5—the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom—is there a role on the Security Council for smaller nations? And can they effect meaningful change for those suffering in war-torn and corrupt countries? Covering 200 years of choral singing, Sing New Zealand encompasses all styles, genres and age groups. It begins with the meeting of Maori and European musical forms in what the author terms as the `birth of a new tradition' and describes the role of group singing in creating a familiar cultural environment for new settlers. As well as examining its history, the technical development of choral singing is described, including the influence of visiting choirs and conductors, through to the establishment of school choir competitions such as `Big Sing', the training of choir conductors and the establishment of the Choral Federation. The author introduces key people and events such as the world-class, 200-voice Sheffield Choir, which presented 40 concerts in New Zealand in 1911; Robert Parker, `the Father of New Zealand music'; Stanley Oliver's Wellington Schola Cantorum, rated by Australian Sir Bernard Heinze as the finest choir of its kind in the world; and the establishment in 1981 of Te Waka Huia, an elite kapa haka group, by Dr Ngapo and Pimia Wehi "This fascinating look at global politics follows New Zealand's fourth term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, from 2015 to 2016. Its engrossing chapters by key players, from the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Murray McCully to the two-term New Zealand President of the Security Council Gerard van Bohemen, offer real insights into the Council's day-to-day workings.This book examines New Zealand's efforts to improve Council processes, and asks: Given the dominance of the P5 -- the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom-- is there a role on the Security Council for smaller nations? And can they effect meaningful change for those suffering in war-torn and corrupt countries?"--Publisher information

New Zealanders love to sing together, and we've done so in choirs for over 200 years. In Sing New Zealand, Guy E. Jansen describes our country's choral music trajectory, from the amateur efforts of the nineteenth century to today's internationally renowned choirs. It's a story about striving for excellence—and achieving it. This book is the first to bring together the stories and history of this significant aspect of New Zealand's culture.