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.

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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!

 

 

Still to come in 2023

Self-presented concert

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.

Saturday 2 December: Michael Fowler Centre (7.30pm)

Guest appearances

Our relationship with Orchestra Wellington goes from strength to to strength. We’ve already guested with them tiwce this year and are now in rehearsal to join them again for Mozart’s Thamos King of Egypt

Saturday 7 October: Michael Fowler Centre (7.30pm)

Scan the QR to get our Lyre Lyre Newsletter and stay up-to-date with upcoming performances.

Confirmed for 2024

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.

John Button, Dominion Post/Stuff

Orpheus Choir Wellington

In action at the Michael Fowler Centre

Sounds like you?

If you would like to join the choir we encourage you to register
your interest in auditioning.