Orpheus Choir of Wellington

The Orpheus Choir of Wellington is an auditioned mixed-voice symphonic choir based in Wellington, New Zealand. It has over 150 members and regularly performs with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Wellington.

History
The Hutt Valley Musical Society was established in 1947, and the Hutt Valley Orpheus Society choir emerged from it a few years later. Its first conductors were Horace Hunt and Len Schwabe, then Malcolm Rickard.

By 1958 the choir was performing in large choral works with the National Orchestra (now the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) conducted by John Hopkins, such as the Mahler Resurrection Symphony, the Verdi Requiem, and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1967.

In 1983 Peter Godfrey became the musical director upon Malcolm Rickard's retirement.

The current musical director is Brent Stewart, appointed in 2014.