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| New Zealand Youth Choir | |
|---|---|
| Name | New Zealand Youth Choir |
| Origin | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Music director | Malcolm Rickard |
| Genre | Choral music |
New Zealand Youth Choir is a national flagship ensemble that showcases young vocal talent from New Zealand on domestic and international stages. The choir has performed in major venues, collaborated with orchestras and composers, and represented New Zealand at festivals, competitions, and cultural exchanges. Its activities intersect with institutions, competitions, and festivals across Australasia, Europe, and North America.
The ensemble was established in 1979 during a period of cultural development involving institutions such as the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, the Auckland Festival, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Early milestones included appearances at events linked to the Commonwealth Games, tours sponsored by arts councils like the Creative New Zealand, and engagements with music educators from the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. Over successive decades the choir has intersected with festival networks including the World Festival of Youth Choirs, the Auckland Arts Festival, and the Wellington International Arts Festival, building a reputation alongside ensembles such as the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, the Tallinn Chamber Choir, and the Vienna Boys' Choir.
Membership draws singers aged typically from late teens to mid-twenties from regions including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with auditions promoted through conservatories such as the New Zealand School of Music, the Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music, and regional chambers like the Dunedin Choral Society. Audition panels have included figures associated with the Royal College of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and visiting conductors from ensembles like the BBC Singers and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Successful applicants have gone on to study at institutions including the Curtis Institute of Music, the Juilliard School, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
The choir's repertoire spans works by composers such as Benjamin Britten, Arvo Pärt, Ola Gjeilo, Olivier Messiaen, and Morten Lauridsen, alongside pieces by New Zealand composers including Douglas Lilburn, John Ritchie, David Hamilton, and Gillbert & Sullivan-era arrangements. Performances have taken place in venues associated with the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall, the Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Festival Hall, and included collaborations with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. The choir has programmed choral works tied to festivals like the BBC Proms, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Lucerne Festival.
Touring history includes appearances in regions connected to the Asia-Pacific Choir Games, the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, with performances in cities like London, Paris, Tallinn, Helsinki, Tokyo, Beijing, and Los Angeles. The ensemble has competed at events such as the Florence International Choir Competition, the Marktoberdorf Competition-style festivals, and the International Choral Kathaumixw, earning awards that placed it alongside winners like the Soweto Gospel Choir and the Estonian National Male Choir. Tours have been hosted in cooperation with cultural bodies such as Creative New Zealand, the British Council, and the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
The choir has been led by conductors with links to institutions including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal College of Music, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Notable artistic directors and guest conductors have had careers connected to ensembles such as the Hilliard Ensemble, the Swedish Radio Choir, and the Monteverdi Choir. Leadership has engaged composers and pedagogues associated with the Auckland University of Technology, the Victoria University of Wellington, and international figures from the Royal Northern College of Music and the Conservatoire de Paris.
Recordings feature works for labels and broadcasters connected to the BBC, Radio New Zealand, and independent labels that distribute choral repertoires alongside catalogues from the Deutsche Grammophon, the Naxos Records, and the Hyperion Records catalogue. Media exposure has included appearances on networks like TVNZ, ABC, and international arts programs associated with the BBC Proms broadcasts and documentaries produced by film festivals such as the Auckland International Film Festival.
Educational initiatives have linked the choir with schools and tertiary programs in regions like Waikato, Canterbury, and Otago, partnering with organizations including the Youth Choirs of New Zealand, the New Zealand Choral Federation, and conservatories such as Te Kura Toi Ora. Outreach projects have involved workshops with maestros from the Royal Academy of Music, community concerts in partnership with councils like the Wellington City Council and the Auckland Council, and mentoring schemes that connect singers to scholarships at institutions like the Royal College of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music.
Category:Choirs Category:Music of New Zealand