Table of Contents

Foreword 6
Introduction 8
1 The heritage of Māori song and the birth of a new tradition 17
2 Colonial music and choral beginnings 29
3 Visits by overseas choirs 43
4 Thirty turbulent years from 1914 55
5 Significant choral leaders of the time 77
6 Bonanzas unheralded, unsung, 1925–45 95
7 After the Second World War: A new world beginning 115
8 The main cities take centre stage 129
9 The worth of investing in young people, 1966–86 159
10 The perplexing question of conductor training 193

11 We’re all going on a summer holiday:
Conductor training in action 211
12 A world in union: The New Zealand Choral Federation 239
13 The flourishing of a rich choral culture, 1972–99 265
14 The new millennium 285
15 Five national choirs and a world symposium 307
16 How has the best become so good? 327
Afterword: Where to from here? 337
Glossary 342
Notes 344
Acknowledgements 367
About the author 369
Index 370

About the Author

In 2011 the late Dr Guy Jansen (1935–2019) was awarded a MNZM for services to music. He was a renowned music educator and choral musician, and in 1979 founded the New Zealand Youth Choir — reputed to be the first national youth choir in the world — and was its musical director. He also founded the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir, and pioneered training in choral conducting. Dr Jansen formed the Festival Singers and Bel Canto, and served as chair of the New Zealand Choral Federation.

Reviews

Clarissa Dunn reviews Sing New Zealand: The story of choral music in Aotearoa by Guy E. Jansen on Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan. Listen to it on RNZ