City Choir Dunedin exists for people of all ages and from all walks of life who share a common delight in choral singing. We aim to be a "A Choir of Note" in New Zealand.
The choir strives for the highest standards in performing the large-scale classics of the repertoire, such as Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, the Beethoven Ninth and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius.
In addition, the choir has performed major new compositions by New Zealand composers, such as Missa Pacifica by David Hamilton in 2006, and John Drummond’s The Journey Home in 2012. For its 125th anniversary the choir commissioned a new work from Malcolm (Jack) Speirs: Cantico del Sole, and for its 150th anniversary celebrations the choir commissioned a new work from Christopher Marshall: For What Can Be More Beautiful?
The Choir loves to work with young, aspiring soloists and welcomes opportunities to perform with other choirs, such as the Christchurch City Choir and the Auckland Choral Society.
The Choir's membership stands at around 110 and is usually involved in four or five concerts a year. We regularly perform with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and occasionally with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
History
The Life and Times of a Choral Society
Jenny Burchell’s research and documentation of the history of Dunedin’s city choir has been very well received.
“This engagingly written, thoroughly researched and very reasonably priced book follows the choir through its various incarnations, and places it in the context of the musical world of Dunedin and further afield.” (Otago Settlers News)
This wonderful history is $45 and available directly from the choir (+ $7 postage) or from University Book Shop, Toitu Settlers Museum or Golden Centre Paper Plus. To order email info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz and pay by direct credit online banking to Dunedin Choral Society 03 0903 0383102 00 with YOUR NAME and HISTORY as reference.
Read more about City Choir Dunedin on Wikipedia.
Explore the early history of City Choir Dunedin.Extracting Mr Wolf's new Choral Society from its mythological future, by Dr Jenny Burchell.
City Choir Dunedin celebrated 150 Years in 2013.
Administration
City Choir Dunedin is administered by the Dunedin Choral Society Incorporated, limited to and exclusively for charitable purposes, in New Zealand (Charities Services registration: CC29845).Principal Officers
| Patron | Professor Anthony Ritchie |
| Vice Patron | His Worship Mayor Aaron Hawkins |
| Music Patron | Professor Terence Dennis MNZM |
| President | Deborah Dons |
| Vice Presidents | Associate Professor Peter Adams, Associate Professor Judy Bellingham, Dr Harvey Brown, Dr Colin Gibson MNZ, Dame Elizabeth Hanan DNZM, Mrs Agnes Hodges, Ms Honor McKellar QSM |
| Life Members | Dr Harvey Brown, Dr Colin Gibson, Mrs Agnes Hodges, Leta Labuschagne, Mr Roland Storm, Mrs Joy Smith, Mrs Glennie Jamieson, Mr Bill Dawson, Mrs Gillian Watson, Mrs Clare Kennelly, Mrs Judy Tucker |
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| David Burchell, Musical Director |
Musical Director
David Burchell was appointed the Choir's Musical Director in January 2000. Read more about David...Accompanist: Roland Storm
Assistant Conductor: Mark Anderson
Committee
| Chairperson | Deborah Dons |
| Musical Director | David Burchell |
| Secretary | John Matthews |
| Treasurer | Rosi Crane |
| Librarian | Anneloes de Groot |
| Membership Secretary | Jan Stevens |
| Deputy Chair | Warren Tate |
| Member | Ruth Taylor |
| Member | Ralph Gordon |
| Member | Ben France-Hodgson |
