An eclectic mix would be an understatement.

We sing a great variety of songs ranging from pop and folk to classical and sacred.You will also hear  anthems, shanties, carols at Christmas and patriotic songs. Some will be sung in Te Reo. We encourage our members to commit some songs to memory but sheet music (with words) is always available as we expect to learn around 35 songs each year - too many to memorise. We also sing in four-part harmony, This gets altogether too technical to fully explain here but put simply, our voices are pitched at different frequencies and a top tenor, for example, will sound very different from a bass.

There are many reasons why people sing and what songs they choose. Often songs are chosen to highlight emotions both good and bad. They have been used to bolster flagging spirit and stir the men on to great acts of bravery  and valour. They have also conveyed great sadness, tragedy and heartbreak.

So the sum of singing is much more than the immediately evident total. We interpret our songs and deliver them in the manner they were intended.

If you decide to see what Liedertafel can offer and you have minimal or no previous singing experience, please commit to at least four practice sessions. It’s a bit like riding a bike, you have to fall off a few times before mastering the process. A single visit then is not enough and you may get skinned knees first time round but we’ll have you riding fast downhill in no time! If you are an established singer you’ll fit in immediately.