After an enforced break due to Covid-19, the Southern Youth Choir is gearing up to present its first concert in more than a year.
Interim choir director John Buchanan, who took over from Ben Madden at the end of 2019, is working to put the choir on a sustainable footing.
"When I took over as interim director, my aim was to build up numbers and get the choir on a firmer footing financially," Mr Buchanan said.
"Unfortunately, Covid-19 put an end to that for 2020, so now we are getting the ball rolling in 2021," he said.
With about 40 singers, most University of Otago students, the Southern Youth Choir is preparing for it’s "Fly to Paradise" concert on Friday next week, from 7.30pm at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Working alongside Mr Buchanan to conduct the hour-long performance is senior voice student Courtney Hickmott, who will share conducting.
"It’s great to have a younger person to help lead this group of very fine young singers," Mr Buchanan said.
The choir will perform Fly to Paradise by Whitacre, two pieces from Chilcott’s Two Days That Changed the World, a piece from Rachmaninov’s Vespers, Tundra by Gjeilo, U2’s MLK arranged by Chilcott, and Radiohead’s Creep.
It will be accompanied on piano by second-year medical student Libby Holdaway.
"We have gone for a mix of serious and modern music that the young singers can really relate to," Mr Buchanan said.
Guest artists Tom McGrath (piano) and Ayla McGrath (clarinet) will perform instrumental works, and Hickmott will sing some solos.
To help encourage more young singers to join, the entry criteria have been eased from an audition-only choir to allow direct entry for young singers who have been part of a Big Sing choir at school.
"That has helped to build up our numbers, although we would welcome more young singers to join us," Mr Buchanan said.
Singers need to be from 18-24 years old, and some singing experience is helpful. For information, email
