National Choir Opens Auditions for Māori and Pasifika Rangatahi Following International Success

The New Zealand Secondary Students Choir (NZSSC) has launched a nationwide search for Māori and Pasifika voices as auditions for the 2027-28 national ensemble open across Aotearoa. According to Waatea News, the biennial search offers rangatahi aged 13 to 18 the opportunity to perform on international stages and receive coaching from leading vocal experts. To ensure the pathway is accessible, a dedicated Māori and Pasifika audition workshop will be held at the Ōtara Music and Arts Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau on 12 September from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. The workshop is led by former NZSSC members Kheilas Reti-Pereira and Lotosina Tavui, who now study voice at the University of Auckland. The initiative aims to provide practical advice to young singers and ensure that Māori and Pasifika worldviews remain central to the national institution. Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand Pasifika Navigator Will Kingi says the cultural perspectives brought by these singers are vital to the organization’s music-making. This kaupapa was recently highlighted during the current choir's international tour, where the 2025-26 ensemble performed waiata and pese at the Voices of the World International Choir Festival in Singapore and the World Choral Festival in Hong Kong. The national auditions will travel across the motu from 25 September to 10 October, starting in Hamilton and visiting Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Membership in the NZSSC has previously served as a launchpad for acclaimed performers like Pene Pati and Benson Wilson. Organisers encourage rangatahi who have a passion for singing—whether in church, kapa haka, or at home—to apply online and share their voices with the world.