Join the Aotearoa Academy Choir in their course 2 open rehearsal!

What’s in an open rehearsal?

This informal performance opportunity allows our choir’s friends and whānau to come and see the choir’s work in progress. Different repertoire requires different skills, and the Music Directors will often pause to explain what they’re trying to achieve, and what skills these singers have been working on!

You get to see both the hard work of the singers, and the organisation that brings them together come to life!

Voices New Zealand is embarking on an international tour in 2025 to Sweden, Germany, France and the U.K

Details of concerts to come, this will be an extraordinary tour marking our last tour with Dr Karen Grylls as our Music Director.

We are excited to bring our choral stories from Aotearoa to the world stage, and perform in one of the most iconic venues around the world (can you guess?)

Programme

Victoria Kelly Stabat Mater (World Premiere NZSO Commission)
Rossini Stabat Mater

Rossini’s majestic Stabat Mater is based on the thirteenth-century liturgy describing the Virgin Mary’s suffering at the crucifixion of her son, Jesus. This text, written by a priest and influencing the perceived role of women throughout Western history, stands in dialogue with Kelly’s, a contemporary appraisal of Mary, motherhood, and women.

Joining us is acclaimed Italian conductor Valentina Peleggi, increasingly sought after as an inspired conductor of opera. Concerto.com declaimed that Peleggi “has Rossini in her blood […and displays] radiant leadership.”

Programme

Victoria Kelly Stabat Mater (World Premiere NZSO Commission)
Rossini Stabat Mater

Rossini’s majestic Stabat Mater is based on the thirteenth-century liturgy describing the Virgin Mary’s suffering at the crucifixion of her son, Jesus. This text, written by a priest and influencing the perceived role of women throughout Western history, stands in dialogue with Kelly’s, a contemporary appraisal of Mary, motherhood, and women.

Joining us is acclaimed Italian conductor Valentina Peleggi, increasingly sought after as an inspired conductor of opera. Concerto.com declaimed that Peleggi “has Rossini in her blood […and displays] radiant leadership.”

The Aotearoa Academy Choir is beyond excited to perform with the Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco in Wellington this June.

Join us at what will be a dynamic and roof-raising concert of young people and their passion for music.

About YWCP San Francisco
The Young Women’s Choral Projects of San Francisco transforms the lives of young women through exceptional artistry in choral performance, and brings the expressive power of their music to the community, the nation, and the world. Founded in 2012 by Dr. Susan McMane, and now led by Artistic Director Dr. Matthew Otto, YWCP includes six levels of choral experience for young women ages 4-18 from across the San Francisco Bay Area. Through YWCP, participants of diverse socio-ethnic backgrounds find their voices as singers, artists, and women in a nurturing environment that empowers them to achieve artistic and personal excellence. The Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco is the premier ensemble of the Young Women’s Choral Projects. The Chorus comprises singers ages 12-18, and has been praised for its beauty of sound, stellar musicianship, and dynamic programming. Acclaimed in the American Record Guide for its “refined and beautifully controlled singing,” the Young Women’s Chorus has also won many competitive, national awards including the American Prize in Choral Performance, the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the Dale Warland Singers Commission Award from Chorus America and American Composers Forum, and the ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award. Recent activities include a debut performance at Carnegie Hall in 2018; concert tours to South Africa (2019), France (2022), and Argentina (2023); the premiere of the opera Abraham in Flames in 2019; and performances with the London Philharmonia Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. Performing repertoire from early music to contemporary selections, the Chorus annually performs a professional series of concerts in the Bay Area, and commissions new works by leading composers.

The Aotearoa Academy Choir is beyond excited to perform with the Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco in Wellington this June.

Join us at what will be a dynamic and roof-raising concert of young people and their passion for music.

About YWCP San Francisco
The Young Women’s Choral Projects of San Francisco transforms the lives of young women through exceptional artistry in choral performance, and brings the expressive power of their music to the community, the nation, and the world. Founded in 2012 by Dr. Susan McMane, and now led by Artistic Director Dr. Matthew Otto, YWCP includes six levels of choral experience for young women ages 4-18 from across the San Francisco Bay Area. Through YWCP, participants of diverse socio-ethnic backgrounds find their voices as singers, artists, and women in a nurturing environment that empowers them to achieve artistic and personal excellence. The Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco is the premier ensemble of the Young Women’s Choral Projects. The Chorus comprises singers ages 12-18, and has been praised for its beauty of sound, stellar musicianship, and dynamic programming. Acclaimed in the American Record Guide for its “refined and beautifully controlled singing,” the Young Women’s Chorus has also won many competitive, national awards including the American Prize in Choral Performance, the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the Dale Warland Singers Commission Award from Chorus America and American Composers Forum, and the ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award. Recent activities include a debut performance at Carnegie Hall in 2018; concert tours to South Africa (2019), France (2022), and Argentina (2023); the premiere of the opera Abraham in Flames in 2019; and performances with the London Philharmonia Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. Performing repertoire from early music to contemporary selections, the Chorus annually performs a professional series of concerts in the Bay Area, and commissions new works by leading composers.

Join NZSSC in their second course of their cycle!

Our singers will be working hard across the week to reach new heights of choral excellence, culminating in an open rehearsal!

Low key and stress free, you can see our young singers in an informal performance opportunity, and gain insight to the workings of this national choral training organisation.

Time TBC, Free entry (Koha appreciated)

Join NZSSC in their second course of their cycle!

Our singers will be working hard across the week to reach new heights of choral excellence, culminating in an open rehearsal!

Low key and stress free, you can see our young singers in an informal performance opportunity, and gain insight to the workings of this national choral training organisation.

Time TBC, Free entry (Koha appreciated)

Singing music from the Pacific and the world, the New Zealand Youth Choir gives the final performance of their 2025 international tour.

Founded in 1979, and widely considered the first national youth choir of its kind in the world, the New Zealand Youth Choir has achieved considerable success since its formation, drawing from its unique cultural and geographic origin. Performances in New Zealand and thirteen international tours including visits to the UK, Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, Singapore, Russia, the Republic of Korea, China and the Pacific Islands have firmly established its reputation for consistency, energy and excellence. One of the Choir’s greatest achievements was winning the 1999 ‘Choir of the World’ title at the International Music Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. During their 2016 European Landmark Tour, NZYC won the GRAND PRIX at the 2016 IFAS in Pardubice Czech Republic and also all four categories it competed in.

Though the choir excels in many choral artforms, they have been fundamental in ingraining Maāori, Pasifika, and other multicultural work into NZ’s choral spheres. Under current direction of David Squire, one of NZ’s most prominent choral conductors, NZYC continues to do more, do better, and share choral stories of Aotearoa with the world.