The New Zealand Youth Choir (NZYC) has a distinguished international reputation, having won multiple awards and performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues. As Music Director, you will shape the artistic direction of the choir, develop innovative and inspiring programmes, and uphold our commitment to musical excellence and cultural authenticity.

We welcome applications from visionary choral leaders who share our passion for artistic excellence, youth development, and the rich musical traditions of Aotearoa.

Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience in choral conducting at a high level.
• Deep knowledge of choral repertoire, vocal technique, and ensemble training.
• A strong commitment to fostering young musical talent.
• Understanding of Te Ao Māori and Pasifika musical traditions, or a willingness to engage in these areas.
• Experience in planning and delivering performances at an international standard.

The MD is supported by a professional team and will benefit from a supportive partnership with the artistic team of the other national choirs.

As part of our new MD appointment policy all of Choirs Aotearoa NZ Music Director roles will become publicly contested on a regular basis. Current MDs are encouraged to apply.

Interviews for this position will take place in the last week of May with a practical assessment 14 June in Auckland.

For more details about this role and Choirs Aotearoa NZ, please refer to the Candidate Information Pack.

Applications:

Please include cover letter, CV, alongside any links to audio and video material as outlined in the Candidate Info Pack of your previous conducting work and send to joinus@choirsnz.co.nz .

If you have any questions beyond the information provided please email us on the above email or contact the CANZ Chief Executive.

Applications close 21 May 2025

Please follow link for full review by Elizabeth Bouman for Otago Daily Times.

Reimagining Mozart
St Paul’s Cathedral
Sunday, March 30

Patrons filled St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday for Reimagining Mozart (2023), Robert Wiremu’s (Auckland) unique hour-long choral piece commissioned for Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir (Karen Grylls) and chamber ensemble.

Jono Palmer conducted.

Wiremu conceived Reimagining Mozart by blending memories of the 1979 Erebus tragedy with thematic material and passages from Mozart’s famous Requiem, imagining a hypothetical passenger had been listening to Requiem on a Sony Walkman, which continued to play on in Antarctica’s icy silence.

…

Wiremu has crafted an outstanding programmatic work in memory of a great tragedy and, along with the large audience, this was a unique performance I will always remember.

Please follow link for full review by Elizabeth Bouman for Otago Daily Times.

Reimagining Mozart
St Paul’s Cathedral
Sunday, March 30

Patrons filled St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday for Reimagining Mozart (2023), Robert Wiremu’s (Auckland) unique hour-long choral piece commissioned for Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir (Karen Grylls) and chamber ensemble.

Jono Palmer conducted.

We are looking for a new team member to manage the activities of our iconic national choirs, which include New Zealand Youth Choir, NZSSC and Voices New Zealand.

We are working out of a groovy office in Victoria Street and deliver the management of our three internationally-awarded national choirs, a national academy and nationwide outreach and engagement program.

Your role in 2025 would include managing the logistic preparation and planning of the ionic New Zealand Youth Choir’s activities, travel arrangements, scheduling and administration. For 2025 that includes a tour to Northland, Wellington and international tour to Europe. Your role includes tour-managing and leading the touring party and artists on the road. If you like good systems, have attention to detail and work well with creative people, this job could be yours.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work for an iconic national organisation and grow as an arts manager in New Zealand’s vibrant creative sector.

You can find more info about this role on our website choirs.nz/jobs

Get in touch now or send your application to joinus@choirsnz.co.nz no later than 12noon 20 January 2025.

Interviews will take place before 25 January and immediate start is possible.

Location: Wellington (preferred)

Essential: previous Tour Management experience

0.8 FTE to Full-Time

Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) continues to thrive and we are looking for new Trustees with specific skills. We’d love to hear from you and invite you to send your governance CV to canztrustees@gmail.com by 10 December 2024. If you have any questions you can contact us at this email address.

The CANZ Trust governs three national choirs with great domestic and international reputations – NZ Secondary Students Choir, NZ Youth Choir and Voices NZ. CANZ also delivers a national choral Academy and an Outreach and Engagement programme.

The Trust is a dynamic organisation which aspires to and achieves artistic excellence while developing the artists and contributing to  the place of New Zealand contemporary vocal music with commissions and performances of New Zealand works. We have excellent working relationships with our major funding organisational partners – Creative New Zealand, Infratil and NZ Community Trust – and enjoy the generous sponsorship and donor relationships with a wide variety of committed individuals. Our highly capable management team is complemented by the top artistic talent we attract.

We would like to hear from people who appreciate excellence in artistic performance and the creative arts, and have the governance skills to make a difference for our top quality endeavours.  The Trustees have a strong governance focus, currently meeting 5 times a year, generally online for a couple of hours, with one more strategically focussed face-to-face meeting for around half a day.

CANZ Trust Board

We are seeking the following skills in particular:

1. education – skills and knowledge to help us with policy settings in particular for the NZ Secondary Students Choir and the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir
2. arts administration – experience working with arts organizations and managing events, festivals or tours
3. political or business networks – someone who has networks and connections which may help us open doors and/or the skills to support the CE turn these into actionable opportunities
4. capability and experience to support the embedding of CANZ’s approach to partnering with Māori and Pasifika that is commensurate with our role as a national organisation, and build on the good things already happening in this area
5. governance and leadership experience – help us ensure we’re considering the right detail at a board level to shape and influence the direction of the organisation

Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) continues to thrive and we are looking for new Trustees with specific skills. We’d love to hear from you and invite you to send your governance CV to canztrustees@gmail.com by 10 December 2024. If you have any questions you can contact us at this email address.

The CANZ Trust governs three national choirs with great domestic and international reputations – NZ Secondary Students Choir, NZ Youth Choir and Voices NZ. CANZ also delivers a national choral Academy and an Outreach and Engagement programme.

The Trust is a dynamic organisation which aspires to and achieves artistic excellence while developing the artists and contributing to  the place of New Zealand contemporary vocal music with commissions and performances of New Zealand works. We have excellent working relationships with our major funding organisational partners – Creative New Zealand, Infratil and NZ Community Trust – and enjoy the generous sponsorship and donor relationships with a wide variety of committed individuals. Our highly capable management team is complemented by the top artistic talent we attract.

We would like to hear from people who appreciate excellence in artistic performance and the creative arts, and have the governance skills to make a difference for our top quality endeavours.  The Trustees have a strong governance focus, currently meeting 5 times a year, generally online for a couple of hours, with one more strategically focussed face-to-face meeting for around half a day.

CANZ Trust Board

We are seeking the following skills in particular:

1. education – skills and knowledge to help us with policy settings in particular for the NZ Secondary Students Choir and the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir
2. arts administration – experience working with arts organizations and managing events, festivals or tours
3. political or business networks – someone who has networks and connections which may help us open doors and/or the skills to support the CE turn these into actionable opportunities
4. capability and experience to support the embedding of CANZ’s approach to partnering with Māori and Pasifika that is commensurate with our role as a national organisation, and build on the good things already happening in this area
5. governance and leadership experience – help us ensure we’re considering the right detail at a board level to shape and influence the direction of the organisation

Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) continues to thrive and we are looking for new Trustees with specific skills. We’d love to hear from you and invite you to send your governance CV to canztrustees@gmail.com by 10 December 2024. If you have any questions you can contact us at this email address.

The CANZ Trust governs three national choirs with great domestic and international reputations – NZ Secondary Students Choir, NZ Youth Choir and Voices NZ. CANZ also delivers a national choral Academy and an Outreach and Engagement programme.

The Trust is a dynamic organisation which aspires to and achieves artistic excellence while developing the artists and contributing to  the place of New Zealand contemporary vocal music with commissions and performances of New Zealand works. We have excellent working relationships with our major funding organisational partners – Creative New Zealand, Infratil and NZ Community Trust – and enjoy the generous sponsorship and donor relationships with a wide variety of committed individuals. Our highly capable management team is complemented by the top artistic talent we attract.

We would like to hear from people who appreciate excellence in artistic performance and the creative arts, and have the governance skills to make a difference for our top quality endeavours.  The Trustees have a strong governance focus, currently meeting 5 times a year, generally online for a couple of hours, with one more strategically focussed face-to-face meeting for around half a day.

CANZ Trust Board

We are seeking the following skills in particular:

1. education – skills and knowledge to help us with policy settings in particular for the NZ Secondary Students Choir and the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir
2. arts administration – experience working with arts organizations and managing events, festivals or tours
3. political or business networks – someone who has networks and connections which may help us open doors and/or the skills to support the CE turn these into actionable opportunities
4. capability and experience to support the embedding of CANZ’s approach to partnering with Māori and Pasifika that is commensurate with our role as a national organisation, and build on the good things already happening in this area
5. governance and leadership experience – help us ensure we’re considering the right detail at a board level to shape and influence the direction of the organisation

Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) continues to thrive and we are looking for new Trustees with specific skills. We’d love to hear from you and invite you to send your governance CV to canztrustees@gmail.com by 10 December 2024. If you have any questions you can contact us at this email address.

The CANZ Trust governs three national choirs with great domestic and international reputations – NZ Secondary Students Choir, NZ Youth Choir and Voices NZ. CANZ also delivers a national choral Academy and an Outreach and Engagement programme.

The Trust is a dynamic organisation which aspires to and achieves artistic excellence while developing the artists and contributing to  the place of New Zealand contemporary vocal music with commissions and performances of New Zealand works. We have excellent working relationships with our major funding organisational partners – Creative New Zealand, Infratil and NZ Community Trust – and enjoy the generous sponsorship and donor relationships with a wide variety of committed individuals. Our highly capable management team is complemented by the top artistic talent we attract.

We would like to hear from people who appreciate excellence in artistic performance and the creative arts, and have the governance skills to make a difference for our top quality endeavours.  The Trustees have a strong governance focus, currently meeting 5 times a year, generally online for a couple of hours, with one more strategically focussed face-to-face meeting for around half a day.

CANZ Trust Board

We are seeking the following skills in particular:

1. education – skills and knowledge to help us with policy settings in particular for the NZ Secondary Students Choir and the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir
2. arts administration – experience working with arts organizations and managing events, festivals or tours
3. political or business networks – someone who has networks and connections which may help us open doors and/or the skills to support the CE turn these into actionable opportunities
4. capability and experience to support the embedding of CANZ’s approach to partnering with Māori and Pasifika that is commensurate with our role as a national organisation, and build on the good things already happening in this area
5. governance and leadership experience – help us ensure we’re considering the right detail at a board level to shape and influence the direction of the organisation