Members of the National Youth Choir will begin their next course on a high note after the Board of Trustees announced they have received a substantial grant from the New Zealand Community Trust.

The internationally acclaimed choir relies heavily on support and sponsorship, and heartened by NZCT's support which follows on from the conclusion of their sponsorship relationship with TOWER at the end of 2007. Members of the National Youth Choir will begin their next course on a high note after the Board of Trustees announced they have received a substantial grant from the New Zealand Community Trust.

The internationally acclaimed choir relies heavily on support and sponsorship, and heartened by NZCT's support which follows on from the conclusion of their sponsorship relationship with TOWER at the end of 2007.The National Youth Choir is administered by Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand, a charitable trust, which also administers Voices New Zealand, the country's leading chamber choir.

Alan Walmsley, Chair of the Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand Trust, welcomed the announcement, saying the grant enabled the choirs to continue the tradition for excellence in performance and to grow.

"We can approach 2009, our 30th Anniversary year, with certainty and continue the high standard of performance the choirs are renowned for," Alan said.

Since its inception in 1979 the choir has gone from strength to strength. Under the baton of Professor Peter Godfrey, and now Dr Karen Grylls, the New Zealand Youth Choir has developed an international reputation for excellence, winning the 'Choir of the world' title in 1999 at the International Music Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. Since then the choir has won international awards in Gorizia, Italy in 2004 and Cantonigros, Catalonia in 2007, in addition to performing regularly in festivals and concerts throughout New Zealand.

Initially the youth choir was modelled on the European choral tradition. Now blending a variety of Maori, Pacific, and European sounds the choir has developed a style that is uniquely New Zealand.

"The New Zealand Youth Choir and Voices New Zealand are significant forces in New Zealand music. The choirs often perform works commissioned from New Zealand composers, some of them former choir members. While some of our alumni have gone on to international careers in music, many of our former members have gone on to lead music in their own communities as teachers, or have started choirs of their own."

While the choirs receive core financial support from Creative New Zealand, and the grant does help the choirs address the all-important need for sustenance, they are still looking to create strong sponsorship partnerships across the country. The vision for Choirs Aotearoa NZ includes a plan to develop a pathway for singers from school age to adulthood to progress their involvement in singing, as well as continuing to performing high-quality choral music to an international standard.

Mike Knell, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Community Trust says "This group of young world champions is an important part of the New Zealand music scene and we are very pleased to be able to provide them with this support. It is important that we all take ownership and protect these national icons, enjoying them now and preserving them for future generations. Choirs are synonymous with Community and we see their vision and mission as a good fit with our own".

Press release: Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand

20/08/08