Profile

Cantoris was formed in 1970 by Andrew Baines (now resident in London) and a small group of friends. From 1971 to 1991 the Musical Director was Robert Oliver QSM, freelance musician, tenor, viol player, and specialist in early music. In those twenty years the choir became established as an essential part of Wellington’s musical life. Since then, the choir has been directed by Professor Peter Godfrey (Musical Director, 1992 / 1993), and guest conductors, until mid-1995, when we appointed Michael Vinten to the post of Musical Director. Michael also directs several other groups including the Wellington City Opera chorus and the Lower Hutt Concert Orchestra, and is a lecturer at Wellington Polytechnic’s Conservatorium of Music. Rachel Hyde, Manager: Artistic Planning for the NZSO, took over as Director of Cantoris in 2005.

Cantoris regularly performs three concerts a year, the majority of which have been recorded and broadcast by Radio NZ on Concert FM. The choir is usually about 20 voices. Every voice counts and that is why new members are auditioned.

The choir’s repertoire extends from the fifteenth century to the present day, although it has had particularly notable successes with its performances of baroque music. In the late seventies and early eighties the choir performed on many occasions with The Baroque Players and in 1986 filled the Town Hall at the first original instrument performance in Australasia of Handel’s Messiah, a triumph that it followed by performances of Belshazzar, and Samson, and a programme of French baroque music. But the choir continued throughout to sing the widest possible range of repertoire.

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