The Christ’s College Music School aims to provide all boys with an opportunity to excel in music. Boys are nurtured to appreciate a wide range of musical styles and experiences as part of their wider aesthetic development.
We are lucky to have truly excellent co-curricular music teachers including principal players of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and performing band musicians. Instrumental and vocal lessons are scheduled before, during, and after school to accommodate each boy’s academic programme. We recognise it is important that students do not miss the same class each week and therefore we shuffle lessons where possible. Lessons take place in the Music School premises in Rolleston Avenue. There are music lessons available in singing, guitar, bass guitar, piano, french horn, trumpet, trombone, drums, cello, viola, and violin.
We offer a rich and vibrant music programme including Chapel Choir, Big Band, Congregational Singing, Jazz Combo, Chamber Music, Saxophone Quartet, Symphony Orchestra (with students from St Margaret’s College), and contemporary duos and bands. These ensembles perform in diverse school events, in the local community, as well as in established live venues around town and further afield.
We frequently host masterclasses, visiting performers, and concerts outside of school time, often in conjunction with other independent schools in Christchurch.
Below are our musical highlights:
2025
- Joshua Padayachee, Jago Wallace, and Oscar Stove were accepted into the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO) for the 2025 season
- College choral scholar Marcello Ferguson is a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir for 2025–2026
2024
- C.O.M.A. regional finalist in Rockquest
- 5 On Air regional finalist in Rockquest
- 5 On Air received “Best Song” in Rockquest
- Masterclasses with the New Zealand String Quartet and members of the Elder Conservatorium (Adelaide University, Australia) Faculty including old boy Teddy Tahu Rhodes.\
- Schola Cantorum won the award for the Best Performance of a piece in te reo Māori at The Big Sing Canterbury-West Coast regional event at the Christchurch Town Hall.
- Hosted two Oxford Scholars (UK) for choral masterclasses.
- Performed as part of the Military Twilight Service at Menin Gate, Belgium. This was a particular honour and the head boys carried wreaths as part of the ceremony.
- At the Chamber Music New Zealand Competition, the Christ’s College Saxophone Quartet won “Best Composition” with James Burt’s “Three Styles for Saxophone Quartet.”
- Our Big Band won the overall Gold Award at the Southern Jam Youth Jazz Festival in Blenheim.
- Trumpet player Oscar Stove won a spot in the Southern Jam All Stars Band.
- Hosting the Kings’ Singers for a concert in the Chapel
Christ’s College Sedley Wells Music Competition
Our annual Christ’s College Sedley Wells Music Competition provides a wonderful opportunity for our instrumentalists and singers to perform solo items in a formal setting.
The competition is divided into two categories – Junior (Years 9–10) and Senior (Years 11–13) – and features an impressive range of musical styles and instruments.
Music programmes
Music Department
Hugo Zanker
Hugo Zanker
Hugo Zanker holds a Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning from the University of Canterbury, a Masters of Music in cello performance from Freiburg Music University in Germany, and a Bachelor of Music (Hons) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, UC. Alongside his cello performance skills, Hugo has experience in leading contemporary, classical (solo, chamber, and orchestral music), choral (traditional and contemporary), and jazz ensembles (big band). He has also been involved in sound design, music technology, and composition. Hugo joined College from Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School, having been Head of Music and Head of Digital Technologies.