The NZCCA Weekly Programme is the heart of the Choral Academy - a year-long journey in which young singers learn, grow, and flourish in a vibrant, supportive community of music-making. Meeting once each week during the school terms, our choirs cultivate vocal excellence, musicianship, confidence, and the joy and whanaungatanga that come from singing together.
Led by expert conductors and a dedicated team of tutors, the Weekly Programme offers a structured, progressive pathway for children from Year 3 to Year 10. Singers develop through carefully designed choral, rhythmic, and music-literacy experiences, building the technical and artistic foundations that prepare them for high-level musical futures.
Whether a child is new to choral singing or ready to take on more advanced repertoire, the Weekly Programme provides a consistent, encouraging, and inspiring environment for their musical development.
The New Zealand Children’s Choral Academy offers three main strands in its weekly programme: Junior Choir, Intermediate Choir and Senior Choir. Each ensemble provides a structured, age-appropriate pathway for musical growth, vocal development, and choral excellence.
The Junior Choir is the welcoming entry point into the Academy. Designed for children in Years 3–4, this ensemble nurtures young voices through joyful, imaginative music-making that builds confidence, musicianship, and a lifelong love of singing. Junior Choir singers participate in all four Academy performances each year.
The Intermediate Choir is the Academy’s training choir, designed to bridge the journey between Junior Choir and the Senior Choir. Open to all singers in Years 5–6 and serving as an entry point for Years 7–8 singers new to the Academy, this ensemble provides a structured musical environment that builds the vocal and musical foundations needed for senior-level choral singing.
The programme focuses on healthy vocal development, accurate intonation, and core musicianship. Carefully selected repertoire supports developing voices, while choristers gain performance experience through the Academy’s annual concert programme and build the confidence and skills required to progress into the Senior Choir pathway.
The Senior Choir is the Academy’s main choral programme for developing young musicians. Entry is by audition, with placement based on experience, vocal development, and musicianship. Choristers build confident tone, deepen their technical skills, and engage with a wide-ranging repertoire that includes more complex harmony, rhythm, and ensemble responsibilities, alongside developing music-reading skills and expressive, culturally grounded performance practice.
Choral Scholars are selected from within the Senior Choir for exceptional musicianship, vocal quality, and leadership potential. Scholars participate in additional rehearsals each term, take on extended performance opportunities, and are frequently featured in concerts. They also play an important leadership and mentoring role, supporting younger choristers as they transition into the Senior Choir.
| Choir |
Director | Pianist | ||
| 4.30pm - 5.30pm | Junior & Intermediate Choirs | Amelia Giles & Maria Winder | Sofia Onishko | |
| 5.30pm - 6.00pm | Senior Choir | Choral Scholars Only | Elise Bradley |
Cathy Bennett |
| 6.00pm - 8.00pm | Full Choir | |||
Registrations for our Junior and Intermediate Choirs remain open for term 3. To register, please complete the form at the top of this page.
Singers are warmly invited to attend a trial rehearsal before committing to the programme. To arrange a trial rehearsal, or for any other enquiries, please contact us at info@nzcca.co.nz.
There are places available for new singers in the Senior Choir. Auditions will be held on Wednesday 22 July, 4.30–5.30pm, with the conductor Elise Bradley. If you are interested in auditioning, please email info@nzcca.co.nz. Auditions outside this time may be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
Our choral programme resumes on Wednesday 22 July. The Junior and Intermediate Choirs rehearse from 4.30pm–5.30pm, followed by the Senior Choir from 6.00pm–8.00pm.
For Term 3 we are offering a special deal of $100 for the term.