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Festival Singers is a Wellington-based community choir with a 32 year history and practice of seeking to work alongside the Christian church. This includes singing in local church services and providing music for weddings, funerals and other events.

Our public concerts include large classical works – oratorios, cantatas and masses, as well as smaller pieces from all over the world. We also choose to support local composers and expose exciting new repertoire by regularly performing New Zealand compositions. In 2007 we recorded and released a CD of New Zealand music featuring Irish folk band, piano accordion and soloists called Spirited People. Music by Jonathan Berkahn and Colin Gibson was especially featured, also New Zealand poetry.

Musical Director
Rosemary Russell has always been involved with choirs as a singer, accompanist or conductor: Bel Canto, Wellington Youth Choir and Festival Singers. She writes songs and choral music for children and adults for school, church and community use. Currently teaching music at Queen Margaret College, Rosemary was Composer in Residence for the Retreat for Choral Conductors in Wellington in 2003. This is her fourth year as director of the Festival Singers.

Jonathan Berkahn
Jonathan is Director of Music at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Khandallah. He studied organ and harpsichord at Victoria University with Douglas Mews. He has an Honours degree in performance, and has recently completed his PhD in music history. He is the accompanist for the Festival Singers of Wellington, and enjoys performing Celtic music at Molly Malone’s Irish Bar. He composes church music for congregational and choir use in his church, including settings of the NZ Prayer Book services.

Festival Singers:

  • Has lively, fun rehearsals and workshops

  • Gives performances that communicate

  • Has a diverse, quality repertoire

  • Celebrates New Zealand compositions

  • Performs in public, and in churches

  • Is friendly, with many social events.

Rehearsals are on Mondays 7.00pm –9.00pm at Queen Margaret College, Hobson Street, Thorndon
 

Copyright Festival Singers 2008