Music Director
In addition to the many concerts and recordings Uwe Grodd has been Music Director of the Manukau Symphony Orchestra since its foundation in 1993 and in 2008 was invited to take up the same position for New Zealand’s longest established choir, the Auckland Choral Society.
Auckland Choral, Auckland’s only symphonic choir, is as vibrant and dynamic as ever! Since 1855, Auckland Choral has been performing timeless classic choral works as well as exciting contemporary compositions, including New Zealand premieres, alongside some of our finest soloists and orchestras.
Its members, wide-ranging in age, work intensely at rehearsals and are passionately committed to the music they sing. Bringing a unique blend of artistic excellence, professional polish and community spirit to their performances, they are proud to be part of a choir that continues to play such a significant role in Auckland’s arts scene.
Under their Music Director, Professor Uwe Grodd, Auckland Choral is going from strength to strength.
The choir is well known for its annual Christmas performances of Handel’s Messiah. In 2018, Auckland Choral marked the milestone of 100 consecutive annual Christmas performances of Messiah. For this special occasion the choir and Pipers Sinfonia was joined by members from City Choir Dunedin and Brisbane Chorale and a stunning line-up of soloists including superstar tenor Simon O’Neill.
Auckland Choral sang its first full performance of Messiah on 17 December 1857 at the Mechanics’ Institute Hall in Auckland. This is believed to have been the first performance of the oratorio in Australasia. Auckland Choral’s initial run of consecutive annual performances was interrupted only in 1918, when the outbreak of the 1918 flu pandemic in New Zealand led to a prohibition on public gatherings.
Trailer to the documentary ‘100 Hallelujahs’, 2019
100 Hallelujahs – Auckland Choral Documentary
Click below to watch the full documentary about Auckland Choral’s 100th consecutive performance of Handel’s Messiah.
The Manukau Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is a community orchestra with professional leadership based in South Auckland. The orchestra presents four varied concerts annually to patrons from across Auckland at the Vodafone Events Centre. Established in 1993 with active support from the Manukau City Council and the Manukau community. The orchestra has blossomed from a small 22-piece ensemble to the present-day fully-fledged Symphony, with around 80 musicians on stage at each performance.
Professor Uwe Grodd has been the orchestra’s Music Director since its foundation. The orchestra provides a unique opportunity for youth and community musicians to work alongside and receive mentoring from professional players.
The MSO continually support and provide scholarships to talented youth players as well as frequently commission and premiere new works from New Zealand composers, right in the heart of Manukau. The orchestra is proud to support New Zealand soloists and brings world-class international soloists to the community of South Auckland.
In 2019 an international journal of community music published an article by Professor Uwe Grodd and Associate Professor David Lines, University of Auckland on the success story of the orchestra.
Grodd, U. & Lines, D. The Manukau Symphony Orchestra: Reflections on a sustainable model for a community orchestra in Aotearoa New Zealand.
International Journal of Community Music. Vol. 11. No 3, pg 325-326 (2019)
From the Abstract: The Manukau Symphony Orchestra has continued to thrive for 25 years as a community orchestra based in the multi-ethnic region of South Auckland in New Zealand. Its continued success is partly attributed to its ability to maintain a negotiated ‘middle ground’ and dialogue within the community and also the way it has valued both musical and human aspects in its daily life.
