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.
We’re very proud to still be rehearsing through the lockdown … virtually!
Even COVID-19 can’t diminish our joy in singing and, as the old saying goes, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Our first virtual rehearsal last week was so special and coming together like this keeps a sense of community in this difficult time.
We’re incredibly lucky to have a Music Director who is technologically savvy and a lot of people excited by trying new stuff.
Go Orpheus!
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.