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Christ's College was established in 1850
as part of the Canterbury Church of England settlement. The
College has throughout time developed into one of New Zealand's
leading boys schools. As an independent Anglican school for
boys it draws its 640 students not only from Canterbury but
also all over New Zealand and abroad.
While it has preserved tradition, it has
been innovative and a leader in many fields of boys education.
Its campus occupies a prime site beside Christchurch's picturesque
Hagley Park, and has been described as containing 'the finest
collection of buildings in New Zealand' where the modern have
been aesthetically blended with original heritage buildings.
The Chapel choir is one of the largest male
voice chapel choirs in the country. Comprising 108 members,
it is an auditioned choir ranging in age from 12 to 18 years,
representing all levels of the college community. Positions
in the choir are keenly sort after with many of its members
being leading sportsmen, academic scholars as well as music
scholar. Singing in four to eight parts with trebles, altos,
tenors and basses, their repertoire not only reflects the
college's Anglican heritage, but it also encompasses a range
of sacred and secular works from leading New Zealand and other
contemporary composers. Commissioned works by leading New
Zealand choral composers Patrick Shepherd, Chris Archer and
David Hamilton are included in their repertoire.
Established over 150 years ago as musical
leadership to the regular chapel services, the chapel choir
leads the school in their weekly Eucharist and Evensong services.
They can be heard in services and concert work throughout
the city and on national radio and television. They are also
in constant demand to perform at both civic and public functions.
In recent years they have combined with the Christchurch Symphony
Orchestra and Christchurch City Choir in performances of Christmas
Crackers [2004], Orf's "Carmina Burana" [2005] and
the Mozart "Requiem" [2006], they performed with
the Welsh National Male Voice choir [2004], sung at the rugby
test match between the All Blacks and the Springboks [2004],
performed with the Lions Rugby Tour choir [2005] and were
part of the massed choir when the Vienna Boys' Choir visited
Christchurch [2005].
The choir has toured several times within
New Zealand and Australia. For the last four years they have
been selected as one of the top sixteen choirs to participate
in the highly competitive national finale of the NZ Secondary
Schools Big Sing Choral competition. In 2004 and 2005 they
gained Silver awards.
In 2003 a small group from the choir toured
Italy. In 2007 they will undertake their first European tour
singing at concerts and services in the United Kingdom, France
and Austria. This tour will culminate in performances at the
first Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival taking
place in Vienna at the world-renowned Musikverein from the
7th till the 11th of July 2007.
for more information:
www.christscollege.com
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