Bach Musica NZ Closes Out 2026 With An Evening Of Musical Splendour

by · SCOOP

Closing out a triumphant year, New Zealand’s leading combined choir and orchestra, Bach Musica NZ take to the Auckland Town Hall stage on Sunday 6 December with From Stillness to Splendour, a journey through Baroque choral classics to moments of instrumental brilliance.

Returning to their roots, Bach Musica NZ concludes the 2026 programme under the expert direction of guest conductor, David Squire. With concertmaster, Yanghe Yu, opening the evening with Pärt’s Fratres, this final concert celebrates the season with performances of Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Dixit Dominus.

No stranger to Auckland’s music scene, David Squire is an internationally recognised conductor, educator, and musical leader. Celebrated for his dynamic artistry and transformative impact on Aotearoa’s choral landscape, he has won numerous awards and accolades both domestically and abroad as the leader of the New Zealand Youth Choir. He is widely praised for his ability to inspire musicians of all ages, exemplified by his recent ‘Most Inspiring Conductor’ and winning the ‘Choir of the World’ title at the 2025 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

“I'm thrilled to be working on this programme, which I selected on the basis that it might be my one and only chance to conduct Bach Musica NZ, so I might as well choose two of my favourite Baroque-era choral works! Bach Musica NZ's concertmaster Yanghe Yu is an exceptional violinist, opening the concert as soloist in Arvo Pärt's mesmerising Fratres. Handel wrote Dixit Dominus when he was only 22 and living in Italy, so the melodic lines are incredibly florid and harmonies lush. Then we finish the final concert of the year with J.S. Bach's Magnificat in D, a jubilant setting of Mary's song.” says Conductor, David Squire.

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Squire and Bach Musica NZ’s celebrated combined choir and orchestra will be joined by soloists Emma Jones (Soprano), Morag Atchison (Soprano), Elisha Fai-So’oialo (Alto), Andrew Grenon (Tenor), James Harrison (Bass) and Yanghe Yu (Violin).

This November Bach Musica NZ will also host their highly popular Singing Workshop, on Saturday 14 November at Somervell Presbyterian Church, led by internationally renowned vocal coach Catrin Johnsson.

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