ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

For eight decades, the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival has been an icon in the cultural life of Christchurch young people.

The largest annual event in the South Island dedicated to developing young musical talent, the Festival inspires the children of Canterbury to participate at the highest level in musical performance, both vocal and instrumental, fostering a lifelong passion for music.

The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival contributes to the richness and cohesion of our community, bringing it together to create and enjoy an enterprise that instills in our children both confidence and pride.

On each of the four nights of the Festival a different massed choir of 800 voices joins the Junior and Senior Representative Choirs, the Concert Band and the Orchestra to present a high-quality concert.

Objectives of the Music Festival

  1. Massed Choirs

    The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival aims to provide the children of the massed choirs with:

    • an uplifting and enjoyable experience of choral music performed at the highest possible standard with professional production values
    • exposure to a wide variety of genre and styles of choral music that serve to inspire and educate
    • choral training based on the development of well-produced head tone and other vocal techniques
    • development of the personal responsibility and self-discipline required for music performance

  2. Representative Groups

    The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival seeks to provide talented and developing young musicians in the Representative Groups with:

    • an opportunity to perform and sing to an excellent standard in a high ability ensemble providing inspiration for other students
    • a supportive environment in which to hone their musical skills in preparation for further success at secondary and tertiary education levels
    • an opportunity to work with professional musicians

  3. Choir Teachers, Teacher of Music

    The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival also aims to provide the teachers of music in schools with:

    • motivation to foster in-school music and singing for students of all ability levels
    • exceptional support and professional development opportunities
    • purpose-prepared songs and accompaniments over a range of genre

The Association

The festival is organised by the Christchurch School Music Festival Association Inc (CSMFA), a charity which is registered with the Charities Commission.

The detail of the annual festival organisation is carried out by the Festival Executive chaired by the President of the CSMFA.

  1. Rules of the Association

    As an incorporated society, the rules of the Association, and any amendments, are filed with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is possible to search the register online through a website maintained by Charities Services. The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival registration (CC32962) can be located here.

    Proposed New Constitution, 2025

    Click on the link to read the proposed new Constitution. The current Constitution is linked below for comparison.

    Current Constitution, 2022

    At the Annual General meeting held on 23 February, 2022, the financial year was altered to run from 1 January to 31 December. This change was to rationalise the end of the financial year to fit with the dates of the festival moving further into November and to allow sufficient time for costs associated with a Festival to be accounted for in the same year’s financial report. Read Constitution.

Previous personnel

  1. Life Members of the Association

    Current Life Members of the Association

    • Russell Kent
    • Murray Lennox
    • Robyn Forbes
    • Mark Gregory
    • Robin Haberfield
    • Charles Levings
    • Sandra Norquay
    • Richard Oswin
    • David Phillips
    • Ian Thorpe
    • Jean White
    • Andrew Withington
    • Kathy Cowan
    • Dr Patrick Shepherd
    • Mary-Anne Baxter
    • Malcolm Long

    Life Membership is conferred by the Executive for outstanding service to the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival Association.

    “Outstanding service” will include at least 15 years of service on the Executive of the Association. This may include membership of the Music Team and/or significant active roles in support of the work of the Executive.

    Life Members may exercise all the rights and privileges of membership of the association.

  2. Musical Directors

    Keith Newson, Music Director for 21 years

    Since its inception, the Music Festival has had just twelve Musical Directors; the role has sometimes been shared…

    • 1939 – 1941  George Martin
    • 1942 – 1945  In recess – World War 2
    • 1946 – 1948  Hugh Findlay
    • 1949 – 1970  Keith Newson
    • 1971 – 1973   Gordon Mathieson
    • 1974 – 1986  Lennox Willett
    • 1987 – 1994  Russell Kent
    • 1995                Carl Browning
    • 1996 – 1999  Murray Lennox & Richard Oswin
    • 2000 – 2003  Robert Aburn
    • 2004 – 2010  Charles Levings & Richard Oswin
    • 2011 – 2012   Andrew Withington
    • 2013 –  2019  Patrick Shepherd
    • 2020 –             Rachel Wilford

  3. Patrons

    Previous Patrons of the Association..

    • 1939 – 1940 Ernest Jenner
    • 1941 – 1945 In recess
    • 1945               Ernest Jenner
    • 1945 – 1947 J Noble
    • 1947 – 1948 TD McCormick
    • 1948 – 1963 JG Parry
    • 1963 – 1986 Prof. Emeritus T Vernon Griffiths
    • 1986 – 2014 Prof. Emeritus John A Ritchie
    • 2015 –            Russell N Kent

  4. Presidents

    Previous Presidents of the Association..

    • 1939 – 1941 J Noble
    • 1941 – 1945 In recess
    • 1945 – 1948 JG Parry
    • 1948 – 1951 WJ Cartwright
    • 1951 – 1953 JG Johnston
    • 1953 – 1954 GB Couch
    • 1954 – 1957 CL Martin
    • 1957 – 1958 EE Booth
    • 1958 – 1960 KW Shirlaw
    • 1960 – 1961 JL Bush
    • 1961 – 1962 RWG Hay
    • 1962 – 1963 SW Gower
    • 1963 – 1965 GR Mathieson
    • 1965 – 1968 RS Jenkins
    • 1968 – 1972 CC Sands
    • 1972 – 1975 BR Hansen
    • 1975 – 1976 PW Gregory
    • 1976 – 1977 LD Hayward
    • 1977 – 1980 G Thorpe
    • 1980 – 1982 Doug D Kelly
    • 1982 – 1992 Graeme R Wallis
    • 1992 – 1997 David T Phillips
    • 1997 – 2006 Robin A Haberfield
    • 2007 – 2012 Mark W Gregory
    • 2013 – 2015 Richard H Oswin
    • 2016 –             Sharyn Hay

Milestones

Brief History of the Music Festival

1939

George Martin, a teacher at St Alban’s School, approached the Canterbury Education Board and the North Canterbury Headmasters’ Association in late 1938 and received support for a Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival. George was appointed Musical Director and over 10-12th August, 1939, the first Festival was staged in the Civic Theatre. It was made up from twenty-five participating school choirs. The first Festival was comprised of three evening concerts and two matinee performances. First half was comprised of items from various school choirs; second half was comprised of items by massed choirs and instrumental items by guest soloists and/or ensembles. One of the principal objectives of the Festival was to help schools to foster school singing and music.

1941 - 1944

Because of the World War, the Festival was in recess. This was due to a number of issues including a shortage of trained music teachers, rationing of resources, limitation of transport and fuel rationing. As he was a conscientious objector, the North Canterbury Headmaster’s Association required the resignation of George Martin .

1945

Festival was recommenced at the Civic Theatre over 4th – 6th October with Hugh Findlay as Musical Director. The Festival was now an annual event.

1963

Venue for the Festival was the Civic Theatre and Canterbury Court.

1964

A decision made to separate the School of Instrumental Music (CSIM) from the Music Festival Association as, up to this time, both groups were combined. CSIM became a duly registered separate entity. The Festival was held in the Canterbury Court in October with fifty schools participating. 6th November, Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival became an Incorporated Society

1965 - 1971

The Festival continued to be in the Civic Theatre until 1971 which was the last year that the Festival retained the old format of individual school choirs and instrumental groups performing.

1972

Doug Kelly, District Adviser on School Music, presented a detailed proposal for the formation of representative groups: senior and junior choirs, orchestras, bands and creative music and percussion groups were instituted where children from all schools were auditioned and children achieved places on merit. A 3-day holiday course was commenced for these groups. Doug Kelly had been to Australia and brought back the idea of the representative groups from there. His recommendation that the Association adopt this model was accepted.

1977

A new venture, initiated in 1977 for the 1978 Festival, was the occasional competition for an original composition. Winning entries were performed in the Festival. This was initiated because of a call for more New Zealand content. The same year, a competition for the design of a poster for use in advertising was instituted attracting some attractive and creative designs.

2011

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake on 22 February wrecked the Town hall and forced the Festival to transfer to the Horncastle Arena and to shorten the season to three nights.

2012

The use of a large-format video display of the performers set above and behind the stage was used for the first time. The Recorder Ensemble was taken out of the programme due to time considerations.

2014

An earlier start (7.00pm) was introduced. The programme order was slightly changed so that the Concert Band accompanied the opening bracket and was the first Representative Group to perform. The number of Massed Choir songs was reduced to ten.

2016

Sharyn Hay was elected as President of the CSMFA, the first woman to hold the position since the Association’s inception.

2019

The Festival moved back to the repaired and renovated Christchurch Town Hall and celebrated 80 years of its existence.  The festival was performed over four consecutive nights.

2020

Rachel Wilford was appointed as Musical Director of the Festival, the first woman to hold this role. However, due to restrictions and concerns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in our history the 2020 Music Festival was cancelled. In its place, a Virtual Event was held.

2021

Covid-19 prevented the Festival being staged. Representative Groups were able to rehearse and produced a video of their performances.