This September, Christchurch audiences are invited to witness a magnificent collision of classical grandeur and contemporary sacred music. On Saturday, 19 September 2026, the Christchurch City Choir presents Haydn & Webster at the Charles Luney Auditorium—a performance bridging the 19th and 21st centuries.
Esteemed American guest conductor and composer Richard Webster (Yale University) leads this transatlantic collaboration. Having retired from Trinity Church, Boston in 2022, he now teaches at Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music and directs the new Bach in the City concert series in Chicago. He is a passionate runner, and has completed 49 marathons, including 22 Boston Marathons. The program’s first half features a curated selection of his own sacred choral works composed over the last three decades. Wild and serene, with everything in between, these modern pieces will be accompanied by local organist Grant Bartley.
The concert’s centrepiece is Franz Joseph Haydn’s last major work, the Harmoniemesse or “Wind Band Mass” of 1802. The writing displays some of his most daring harmonies and dazzling surprises. The three leading musical forces of the “Classical” era — roughly 1750 to 1820 — were Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Imagine the thrilling Viennese musical scene in 1791, when all three were living and working in that city, just prior to Mozart’s death.
Bringing this challenging score to life is a true community effort, as the choir shares the stage with the talented young players of the Christchurch Youth Orchestra. This intergenerational partnership ensures that classical music remains a vibrant, living tradition in our city.
Haydn & Webster is more than just a concert; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring human desire to find beauty in song.
· When: Saturday, 19 September 2026, 7:30pm
· Where: Charles Luney Auditorium
Go to citychoir.co.nz to find out more or book tickets through Eventfinda.