Nelson Civic Choir 2.21

History of the Choir
The Nelson Civic Choir has a long history in Nelson that dates back to 1860. Originally known as the Nelson Harmonic Society, it changed its name to School of Music Choir after it adopted the School of Music as its base. In 1988 the choir was given its present name, and in 2004 the choir became an incorporated society.

Over the years the number of singers and increased and decreased. Achieving a balance to the choir has always been a challenge especially in the bass and tenor sections. The year 2001 saw a dramatic increase in choir numbers with singers increasing from 20 to over 70.

The increase in the size of the choir has each year enabled the performance of larger works such as Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and Haydn's Mass. Nelson based soloists and instrumentalists have been supported by nationally recognized soloists and the instrumentalists supporting the accompanying orchestra. These musicians positively contribute to the quality of performances. Nelson audiences appreciate being able to hear major works with nationally recognized performers.

A recent trend, welcomed by the choir, has been the participation of a number of younger singers in the choir.