The New Zealand Combined Choir and Orchestra Trust organises an Annual Summer School of Music at The Teapot Valley residential centre. It invites international conductors and this year Brian Kay will direct the choir of 90 singers to perform two Gloria's by Puccini and Vivaldi respectively. The are both fantastic works full of joyful moments and magical music.

Puccini, the great opera writer (La Bohème, Madam Butterfly & Tosca), composes as if for the theatre and the music is bold and magnificent. He wrote his Gloria when he was aged18.

Vivaldi worked as a virtuoso violinist, teacher and cleric in the Ospedale della Pietà (Devout Hospital of Mercy) in Venice. This was an institution where orphans received instruction - the boys in trades and the girls in music. His Gloria is one of the most popular classical choral works in the concert repertoire.

Nelson Civic Choir are pleased to host Blenheim Choral Society and choirs from Golden Bay and Motueka in a 'Top of the South' performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah. This dramatic choral work will be conducted in Nelson Cathedral by Carl Browning; the role of Elijah will be sung by Robert Tucker.

Elijah has been a favourite for choral singers and their audiences since it was first performed in 1846. Based on Old Testament stories, it tells of miracles performed by Elijah the prophet, including the famous scene where he commands fire to descend from heaven to convince the people of the one true God. The drama is sustained through drought-breaking floods and scenes of self-doubt and healing until Elijah, his work complete, is finally swept to heaven by a whirlwind.

The choral pieces and solos are melodic and dramatic, carrying singers and audience through moods of despair, doubt, resilience, comfort, thankfulness and joy: emotions that listeners of any creed or none can readily share.

Chroma Chamber Choir explores the Eastertide message in Handel's "Messiah" parts 2 and 3.

First performed in Dublin on 13th May 1742, Handel meant his sacred oratorio to dramatize Christ's suffering, death and redemption in the Easter story. His forces were small, with soloists from within a group of 32 singers, and Chroma reaches back to these authentic Baroque roots in their performance.