Christchurch Choral Festivals

These annual festivals are a developing tradition for the city, intended to sustain and strengthen separate choirs, which have lost facilities and performing spaces since the earthquake.

Choirs are drawn from the combined inner city churches, community, youth, and concert stage. They are grouped into clusters, performing for up to 10 minutes, and choosing their own items, conductors and accompanists. Accompaniment is by piano and organ, and the festival, which normally lasts about one hour, is concluded by a combined item. Click on the links for repertoire.

Rehearsals for Choral Festival 2 pm Sunday August 11, 2024

Community Choirs 7-8 pm Tue 30 July & 6 August at Chapel St Centre, 68 Harewood Road 

Church Choirs 7 pm Fri, 9 August               All - Combined Item 1.30 pm Sunday 11 August

I Was Glad - Parry

Hallelujah Chorus - Handel

Hine E Hine - Cooper

Let Their Celestial Concerts - Handel

Voice of Music Concert 2012

Hundreds of local musicians and dozens of Christchurch’s music groups presented a free concert Christchurch: The Voice of Music in the CSB Arena at 6pm Wednesday 21st November. This unique concert celebrated music making in Christchurch to strengthen our musical community through shared participation in a city-wide event. It featured many local groups of players, singers and compositions by local composers and brought the Voices of Music together, sharing the joy of music for all. The concert featured works by local composers: Philip Norman (Earthquake: 22.2.11), Patrick Shepherd (Fallen Cathedrals), Richard Oswin (Sanctus) and John Emeleus (Christchurch: The Voice of Music) Local and internationally renowned  soloist Edith Salzmann performed with Town and Gown Strings, an ensemble created especially for the concert.

Breaking from traditional concert programmes, Christchurch: The Voice of Music began with a rehearsal of two massed items involving audience participation. There was a wide range of performers from amateurs to professionals of all ages. The event was organized by the Christchurch Civic Music Council, a representative group that is committed to the successful future of music in our city.

Faithfest & Christchurch Choral Concert 2013

To mark the end of the Year of Faith, Christchurch Catholics gathered in the CBS Arena on Sunday, November 24, for a Christ the King Festival Mass. Beforehand, 300 primary children from the CBS Outreach programme sang, directed by Josephine Oorschot. Mass music, provided by the CBS Choir and brass ensemble, included hymn arrangements with fanfares, Parry I Was Glad, Handel Zadok The Priest, Mendelssohn Hear My Prayer and Rutter O Clap Your Hands

An evening choral concert began with a procession and choral bracket from an ecumenical choir, drawn from the broken churches of our city. Other groups represented were the Community Choirs, Canterbury Plainsmen, Catholic Colleges, and Concert Choirs. Perfomers and a large audience concluded the concert by singing together Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.

CBS Outreach Schools

CBS Arena Faithfest 2013

Catholic Colleges Combined Choir

Hallelujah Chorus Finale