World Choir Games Registrations
28 Nov 2023
For many centuries, the countless cultures of the world have told their stories through song, and Aotearoa New Zealand is no exception. Māori continue to pass down wisdom and knowledge across the generations through kapa haka, mōteatea and waiata, while European settlers and all others arriving in this country have brought their own forms of musical story-telling. In July 2024 Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, a UNESCO city of music, will welcome hundreds of the world's choirs to these shores to participate in the largest competition and festival of choral music on the globe, the World Choir Games. It is the first time this spectacular event will ever have been held in Oceania, with the nearest previous iteration of the Games being 8000 kilometres away, in China!
The Games include competition categories for everyone: children’s, school, youth, adult and senior choirs; equal or mixed voices; specific music styles like contemporary, sacred, gospel, jazz, pop, barbershop – accompanied or a cappella. And particularly in the indigenous categories, groups from all over the world will sing (and dance) the music that is woven into their daily lives. If you have ever dreamed of testing your choral skills on the big stage, or just enjoying those of (many) others, this really is THE opportunity of a lifetime.
Join us in hosting thousands of choristers from over 50 countries and help us show them the rich diversity of our country’s choral cultures and styles, so that they carry these performances away with them as lasting souvenirs of Aotearoa New Zealand. In doing so, we will foster pride in our own choral work and create a legacy for generations of singers to come.
With the final deadline for registrations - 6 December - nearly on us, now is the time to chat to your conductor, administrator and fellow singers. Don’t forget too that there’s a special discount for NZCF members. We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to the party!