01 Jul 2025
In a historic milestone for the arts, Signature Choir’s Mana Moana performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to sold-out audiences at the Sydney Opera House. Supported by Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy, the collaboration thrilled audiences with a repertoire of songs from around the Pacific Islands arranged for choir and orchestra.
The concerts with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra mark the international debut for the Pasifika ensemble, following sold-out shows in Aotearoa.
Signature Choir was formed in Wellington in December 2018 with a mission to promote Pacific language and culture through performing Pasifika music.
“Pasifika music is grounded in storytelling, vocal interplay, and spiritual expression while orchestral music brings scale, structure, and emotional range,” says Helen Tupai, Signature Choir’s talented Choir Director, who also arranges much of the music.
The choir, with a strong visionary team, has been supported under Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy to develop its organisational strategy, strengthen its fundraising and sponsorship plans and look long-term at national and global opportunities that will support its viability and sustainability.
“Mana Moana’s success at the Sydney Opera house shows there is huge potential for growing global audiences for fantastic Pacific arts led by a team of smart creative leaders building the Va and strategic relationships nationally and globally – a priority under the Pacific Arts Strategy,” says Makerita Urale, Senior Manager Pacific Arts (Global, NZ, Pacific Islands).
“Global Pacific Arts also aligns with the upcoming Amplify national arts strategy, to take great art from Aotearoa to the world. These opportunities create jobs for kiwi artists, new learning, new relationships, and knowledge exchange around the world which loops back to New Zealand to drive a viable Pacific creative economy,” Makerita says.
Signature Choir comprises of over 50 vocalists, ranging from established artists to conductors, right through to community members, students, business owners and teachers. The choir received the Creative New Zealand Pacific Heritage Award in 2024, as well as recognition at the Pacific Music Awards.
The choir successfully raised over $50,000 for the Sydney trip via Boosted X Moana, an initiative and partnership under Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy with the Arts Foundation.
Signature Choir will be performing Mana Moana with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on 24 and 25 July 2025. Tickets can be purchased on the ticket master website
The Wellington concert will also feature a trainee Pasifika conductor undertaking skills development as part of multi-year partnership to grow Pasifika conductors between the NZSO and Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy since 2022.
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