Figure 1.--The Cantores in Ecclesia choir is seen here performing in St. Paul's Cathedral in Dunedin.

New Zealand is a small country in the South Pacific with many transplanted English traditions. The authors know of two boy choirs, but there may be more. They are both traditional choirs reflecting the English choral tradition.

The Country

Choral Tradition

The training of boys and mens voices in music of the church goes back a very long time. Song schools in England were attached to cathedrals as early as the 4th Century and it is not too far-fetched to say that our present choirboys belong to one of the oldest on-going youth organisations in the world. The choir fulfills a need and duty which can be said to be both spiritual, social and cultural.

Individual Choirs

Cantores in Ecclesia

Cantores in Ecclesia is located in on South Island. It was formerly St Paul's Cathedral Choir. The Choir Cantores in Ecclesia choir consists of around 16 boys and 16 men and has a long-standing tradition of musical excellence.

Choir Music. The music sung by the choir comes from the vast treasure-house of the English cathedral repetoire and is one the glories and strengths of the Anglican Cathedral tradition. Music from the plainsong period, through such composers as Byrd, Gibbons, Purcell, Wesley, Stanford, Vaughn-Williams, Britten and Howells is performed. Music of Bach, Handel, Bruckner, etc is included. Cantores and the former choir have been fortunate to have had quite an amount of music specially composed for it by Dr Victor Galway, Professor Donald Byars, Richard Madden and Dr White, the current Director of Music.

Overseas Tours. In 1982 the choir visited Australia and made a recording of cathedral music for South Pacific Records. In 1985 the choir sang in England, Scotland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland during the Bach/Handel tercentenary year. In 1990 the choir sang in London, St George's Chapel, Windsor, Durham, Berlin, Prague and Vienna. In 1996-97 the choir went ot Israel and was privileged to sing with President Yasser Arafat on Christmas eve. The choir also sang in Cologne, Dunblane, Ely, St Andrews, London and Vienna.

Cathedral Grammar