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.
| Time | Choir | Director | Pianist | |
| 3:45 - 4:45PM* | Junior Choir | Maria Winder | TBC | |
| 4:30 - 5:30PM | Intermediate Choir | Amelia Giles | Sofia Onishko | |
| 5:30 - 6:00PM | Senior Choir | Choral Scholars ONLY | Elise Bradley | Cathy Bennett |
| 6:00 - 8:00PM | Full Choir | |||
*Venue to be confirmed
We begin our programme on Wednesday 28 January, with a welcome session for singers and their whānau. This session will introduce families to our artistic staff and the year’s programme, and give everyone the chance to sing together in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Following this rehearsal, the artistic team will speak with all Year 7+ students about the Senior Choir and Intermediate Choir programmes, as well as the audition process for the Senior Choir and Choral Scholars. Students in Years 7–8 will be placed into either the Intermediate or Senior Choir based on their experience, vocal development, and musicianship.
| Choir | Term Fee |
Annual Fee (save 10%) |
| Junior Choir | $320 per term | $1152 |
| Intermediate Choir | $320 per term | $1152 |
| Senior Choir | $400 per term | $1440 |
| Choral Scholars | $450 per term | $1620 |
The year is organised into two semesters, each culminating in a major performance at the end of Terms 2 and 4. At the end of Terms 1 and 3, whānau are invited to a Friends & Whānau Showcase - an informal presentation that shares the choir’s progress and celebrates their learning so far, a fundraising concert in Term 1 and a collaborative concert in Term 3.
Our choirs also participate in The Kids Sing (Auckland Town Hall), the Treble Choir Festival, and our annual Choir Camp. In Term 2, we look forward to a special collaboration with the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, touring from Australia.
Our 2026 concert theme explores how music connects our past, present, and future. Across the year, our young singers journey through the Wonders of Time - from imagination, to memory, to connection, and finally to renewal. Each concert forms a chapter in our shared story.
June 28, 2026 16:00pm - June 28, 2026 19:00pm
Venue:
TBC
In Term 2, we look forward to a special collaboration with the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, touring from Australia.
May 24, 2026 00:00am - May 24, 2026 00:00am
March 28, 2026 16:00pm - March 28, 2026 19:00pm
Venue:
TBC
February 20, 2026 00:00am - February 22, 2026 00:00am
The New Zealand Children’s Choral Academy (NZCCA) nurtures young voices and inspires a lifelong love of music. Each week, children from across Auckland come together to learn, sing, and grow in confidence and artistry. Your support helps us maintain world-class programmes, dedicated rehearsal spaces, and meaningful performance opportunities — ensuring the next generation of Aotearoa’s choristers can continue to thrive.
You can support our work via our Givealittle page
