The world’s longest-running national youth choir, NZ Youth Choir (NZYC), is getting ready for its 14^th international tour: to Singapore and Europe. The traditional “farewell” concert will take place at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, Friday 27th June, with tickets selling fast. The following day, NZYC will head to Singapore for concerts before flying to Europe to compete in the 6^th European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations in Aarhus, Denmark. The choir will then return to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales where they previously won “Choir of the World” in 1999. 

This is the New Zealand Youth Choir’s first European tour since before COVID-19. The choir gathers New Zealand’s finest young voices aged 18–25 and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from our top conductor and vocal coaches, with the three-year membership culminating in an international tour. Director David Squire will end his time with the choir at the completion of the tour. David has directed NZYC since 2011 and was himself a member from 1985–1991 before becoming a founding member of Voices NZ and going on to an illustrious career in music education.

 “It’s been my great honour to direct the New Zealand Youth Choir for the past 15 years,” David says, “As an NZYC alumnus, I’ve always considered this role bigger than any person who has the opportunity to conduct it and, with that in mind, 2025 is the time for my tenure with the choir to come to an end”. 

The Holy Trinity Cathedral concert on Friday 27th June will be David’s last New Zealand concert as New Zealand Youth Choir director.

“David is one of New Zealand’s most prominent conductors, and his extraordinary legacy with New Zealand Youth Choir will be cherished and celebrated,” says Arne Hermann, Choirs Aotearoa NZ’s CE, “While David’s tenure with NZYC will come to an end, his mahi with CANZ will continue. We will announce the new Music Director closer to the commencement of their start date in early 2026 – and once the recruitment process is complete”.

While overseas, NZYC will also sing in Singapore and the UK: Oxford, Barnsley and a concert at Sinfonia Smith’s Square,  London – where NZYC in 2016, the last time they were in Europe led by David, recorded their “Live in London” DVD and won the Grand Prix at the 2016 IFAS in the Czech Republic in 2016. NZYC has a Give-a-little page to support their 2025 tour.

NZ Youth Choir Farewell Concert at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, Auckland
7:30pm, Friday 27 June, 2025

For more information, contact: Rachel Healy, PUBLICIST, rachel@rachelhealy.co.nz