Orpheus Choir

Wellington

New Zealand’s premier symphonic choir

NZ’s premier symphonic choir

Thrilling audiences for seven decades

Tena Koe Welcome!

We’re often referred to as “the mighty Orpheus” because we bring the big choir experience — dramatic, spectacular, and emotionally charged performances of stunning choral music — to a wide variety of events. These include not just our own sell-out subscription series concerts but also festivals and pop concerts — think NZ’s biggest backing group. Our concerts are often recorded by Radio New Zealand.

Formed in 1947, our varied and sometimes surprising repertoire includes everything from the most loved works like Messiah and all the great Requiem Masses to forgotten or less known masterpieces such as Vaughan Williams spectacular Sea Symphony and James MacMillan’s emotionally devastating Seven Last Words from the Cross to Māori Waiata and Dave Dobbyn.

We are custodians of some of the greatest music ever written and we love to make it come alive for contemporary audiences of all ages and stages.

Self presented concerts

29 April, 2023: Bach Mass in B Minor

2 Dec 2023: Handel Messiah

Welcome to Orpheus 2023

Auditions are now open for 2023. Join us for an incredible season of awesome music — Bach, Bartok, Walton, Mozart, Handel. It’s going to be mighty!

Some dates for your calendar

Self-presented concerts

Bach’s incredible Mass in B Minor is now scheduled for April 2023. We are very excited about performing the Mass after three COVID-related postponements. It is a work on an epic scale with five soloists, orchestra and a double choir in some movements.

At the end of the year on December 2, we are delighted to join forces with Orchestra Wellington for an unmissable joint presentation of Messiah. Conducted by Brent Stewart at the Michael Fowler Centre, it will be a joyful way to round out the year.

Guest appearances

Our relationship with Orchestra Wellington goes from strength to strength. This year they have invited us to join them for three exciting performances:

Saturday 3 June — Bela Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin
Saturday 5 Aug — William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast
Saturday 7 October — Mozart’s Thamos King of Egypt

All at the Michael Fowler Centre.

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What the critics say

Percussion-driven Carmina Burana with the Orpheus Choir a triumph — a feeling of being immersed in an oceanic surge from all concerned of total and utter commitment to the music.

…I thought the chorus work among the best I’d ever heard in a “live” Messiah performance

Peter Mechen, Middle C

A packed Cathedral was here treated to a concert of variety and solid achievement…. the choir sang beautifully, and the halo effect of the Cathedral’s acoustics suited it ideally.