About Us
Wellington Youth Choir is a mixed group of singers between the ages of 18 and 27. We are made up of around 80 university students and young professionals living in the Wellington region. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings at 7:15 pm during the University year, at St Peters Anglican Church on Willis Street.
The choir provides a fantastic bridge for young singers between school and community choirs. For the more experienced singer, WYC offers a platform to continue singing at a high standard. At the same time, the choir is a great place for those who are wanting to get involved in choral singing for the first time. Many of our members are current or former members of the New Zealand Youth Choir and New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir.
The choir performs regularly during the academic year in and around the Wellington region. A normal year consists of: numerous standalone concerts and collaborations with other established groups; a highly anticipated camp where all the members get together for an epic weekend away; and perhaps most compelling, the choir plans an annual tour to allow members to perform in other parts of the country.
Our Team
Music Director - Rowan Johnston
Rowan came to the Wellington Youth Choir this year from an impressive conducting background as Musical Director for the Auckland Youth Choir, Director of Choirs at Holy Trinity Cathedral Auckland, and Musical Director of the internationally acclaimed school choir Choralation from Westlake Girls' and Boys' High Schools.
Rowan now, alongside the Wellington Youth Choir, conducts the New Zealand Youth Choir, Seraphim Choir at Chilton St James School, the Kairangi Chorale at Scots College, Just Voices – a choir made up from the Judges at the Supreme Court of NZ, is co-Music Director of the national choir, Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir with Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand and is an Associate Conductor for Voices NZ Chamber Choir. He is a regular guest conductor at the Gondwana National Choral School in Australia and is in demand as a choral conductor, adjudicator, and clinician throughout New Zealand and abroad.
Accompanist - Bethany Angus
Bethany is a cellist and keyboardist from Wellington. Following studies in Hamilton and Wellington, she moved to the Netherlands to pursue a master of historical performance music under the tutelage of Lucia Swarts (cello) and Carole Cerasi (harpsichord), with the generous support of the Kiwi Music Scholarship, Patricia Pratt Foundation, and the Dame Malvina Major Foundation. Bethany performed across The Netherlands and Europe as a baroque cellist, and received the inaugural Toos Onderdenwijngaard award for best final recital in the Early Music department on completion of her master degree.
Bethany now freelances in New Zealand as a pianist, cellist and harpsichordist with orchestras, chamber ensembles and choirs. She is also on the programming team at RNZ Concert.