Audition applications for the 2027-28 NZSSC are LIVE!!
2026 AUDITION DATES
HAMILTON: 25 September
AUCKLAND: 26-29 September
WELLINGTON: 5-6 October
PALMERSTON NORTH: 7 October
CHRISTCHURCH: 8-9 October
DUNEDIN: 10 October
ONLINE: TBC
There will be opportunity to attend an online audition if you're unable to make one of the above dates, although we strongly urge you to make an in-person audition work where possible.
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DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY STUDENTS' CHOIR?
The NZ Secondary Students' Choir operates on a two-year cycle and the next auditions for the 2027-28 NZSSC cycle will be held nationwide towards the end of 2026
ELIGIBILITY:
Singers must be full-time NZ secondary school students for at least the first year of the two-year cycle (e.g. for the 2027–28 cycle, students must be enrolled in 2027).
COMMITMENT:
NZSSC membership requires FULL commitment to the two-year cycle. The choir gathers for up to one week during all school holidays, and the international tour (2nd year) can be up to three weeks long.
Leave may be requested for no more than one rehearsal course, and only for the April or July course in the first year. Leave requests must be submitted when accepting your place in the choir, and requests are not guaranteed to be accepted - we strongly urge members not to miss any course in the first year. This is where the group starts to find its sound, and the manaakitanga that holds our choir together begins to form.
Some singers will have started university by the second year of the cycle. Balancing choir commitments alongside a first year of tertiary study can be extremely difficult to manage, please also consider this carefully before accepting your place.
Further information regarding financial commitments further down this page.
WHY NZSSC? Hear it from our past members....
"Being a part of NZSSC kindled my passion for music like nothing else has. It's given me a vision of the level of quality I should aspire for in my future endeavours, and has been an irreplaceable experience for me to grow as a musician and as a person."
"This whole experience opened my daughter's eyes to the serious music world and set her up for a lifetime of confidently enjoying choral singing - she LOVED it. She learned how full-time musicians operate and particularly appreciated singing with other like-minded, focussed , hard-working young people."
"I have noticed a huge development in my voice and music knowledge over the last two years. I found that singing with people better or at a similar level as you is incredibly beneficial for this and also broadens your mindset in terms of performance, how to practice and rehearse etc."
"It has helped me to grow exponentially as a musician, especially aurally, where it has helped me to develop a finer ear for the choral sound, and in terms of reading and story telling, where I am able to connect better with a text (or lack of) in pieces that I sing."
"Truly unforgettable. I had never seen so much musical passion and talent in one place until joining NZSSC."
"I found the tour itself to be an incredibly enriching experience, I loved being able to bond with my fellow choir members and embrace a drastically new and different culture together whilst being able to share and represent New Zealand and its cultures in our music and presence."
"My personal experience was life changing. I got to travel around the world with my best friends. I got to see and learn about a different culture."
PREPARING FOR AN AUDITION
To see what you will be tested on, read our current AUDITION INFORMATION SHEET
Watch the below videos for insights into the audition process:
NZSSC Auditions Workshop: Song selection
NZSSC Auditions Workshops: Vocal Excercises
NZSSC Auditions Workshops: Aural Exercises (Part 1)
NZSSC Auditions Workshops: Aural Exercises (Part 2)
NZSSC Auditions Workshops: Sight Singing
NZSSC Auditions Workshop: Overall Impression
NZSSC Q&A from Auditions Workshops
MEMBERSHIP FEES
There is no fee to take part in the auditions, other than your travel costs to get to the venue.
Membership fees for the full two year cycle are approximately $7,500 - depending on the length and destination of the international tour.
Although membership fees are charged 'per course', we invoice annually.
Annual fees can be paid in full upfront or via monthly automatic payment. The International Tour fee is paid in pre-set instalments. Financial support may be available (see below).
Full fees are confirmed at the time that membership offers are made.
These fees cover:
- NZ COURSE COSTS: Tuition, travel (air/ground) to the rehearsal city, and accommodation (usually billeting) with breakfasts and dinners included. Local member families are expected to billet out-of-town members.
- INTERNATIONAL TOUR COSTS: Approximately $5,500, covering flights, accommodation, meals, and festival fees. Personal spending money, passports, visas, and immunisations are additional costs and remain each member's own responsibility.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We are proud to offer financial assistance to our members through our NZSSC Student Support Fund, which is kindly supported by the CANZ Foundation, the Kempton Family Trust, Dame Adrienne Stewart and other generous donors. We also receive donations and grants aimed specifically at assisting members with fees.
Support is offered towards the international tour (in 2nd year of choir cycle), and varies upon individual needs. However, it is not usually more than $2,000. Applications can be made once membership has been accepted.
We've also assembled a list of fundraising suggestions, including local grant opportunities, so students can contribute towards the cost of their membership.
Get in touch with our NZSSC Manager, Ange Kalogeropoulos, if you have any further questions about joining NZSSC.
