Not having sung a Nativity-themed concert since ‘An Arctic Christmas’ way back in 2018, we have once again warmed to the idea. This time, however, we will be concentrating less on Yuletide’s chilly side and more on the characters, loving and unloved, who inhabit it.

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Who are these? Mother, father and child naturally take centre stage, but their post-natal visitors – angelic, regal and sheep-herding – also feature, alongside a gallery of the saints, sinners, animals and instrumentalists who also pop up in the music of the season.

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Our programme includes Lauridsen’s stunning ‘O magnum mysterium’, Burton’s catchy arrangement of ‘The Virgin Mary had a baby boy’, Allain’s poignant ‘Coventry Carol’, Mouton’s 8-part masterpiece ‘Nesciens mater’ and David Hamilton’s jazzy ‘Carol of Joseph and Mary’. To these we add ‘Good King Wenceslas’, ‘The Angel Gabriel’ and ‘We three kings’, and we may even invite the audience to join us for a couple more favourites!

Perhaps the highlight will be Jack Body’s dramatic and brilliant ‘Carol to St Stephen’, generally acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s finest choral works.

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A special Christmas choral celebration, in the warm atmosphere and beautiful acoustics of St Matthew-in-the-City.

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Auckland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Coldplay under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Auckland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Hans Zimmer under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Auckland City Brass returns to St Matthew-in-the-City this December for an unforgettable evening of festive music for brass band under the baton of Music Director Mark Close. This year the band will be joined by wonderful coloratura soprano Christina Ellison, who will delight with a mix of Christmas songs and operatic arias. Wine and soft drinks will be available to purchase before the concert and at the interval.

The programme will have something for everyone, from traditional Christmas carols to modern festive favourites and virtuosic brass band and vocal works. Book your tickets now!

Auckland Youth Symphonic Band and Auckland Wind Orchestra

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Christmas Concert

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Auckland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Queen under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Auckland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Adele under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Chi Feng - Award winner of International Piano Competition returns to the stage for a deeply moving recital titled Tribute, Remembrance, and Reverence. Drawing inspiration from the phrase "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in," Chi will explore themes of memory and healing through Brahms’ Op.118 Six Piano Pieces and Schubert’s monumental Sonata D960. As an internationally awarded pianist, Chi Feng is celebrated for her emotive depth and technical brilliance. This performance promises to be a profound musical experience, inviting audiences to reflect and find light through the cracks of life.

Concert Program:
• Brahms Op.118 (Six Piano Pieces)
• Schubert Sonata D960 (All movements)

North Shore Brass

Camila de Oliveira, piano

James Flores, organ

Auckland University strings

Tom Chatterton, organ

Dilworth School choirs

Kotuku Quintet

Auckland University voice students

Piano Duo: Ya-Ting Liou and Blas Gonzales

Daniel Müller-Schott, cello

Johann Sebastian Bach
Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007
Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011
Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009