About us

Overview.

The orchestra was formed in 1958 from smaller chamber groups that had grown to a size that an orchestra was the next step. As of 2010, we are the Hutt Valley Orchestra Incorporated. The total population of the Hutt Valley is about 140,000, easily large enough to support a full-sized community orchestra. Our players come from a wide variety of occupations, but are united in their love of playing and performing music.

Hutt Valley in Pacific mapYou can read up on our history here, or visit the Past Events section to explore concerts since 2007.

Incidentally, if you have browsed to this page from Far-far-away, we are in the middle of New Zealand, in the southern Pacific Ocean. 

 Music Director, Mark Carter

Mark CarterMark took over as Music Director from December 2016 and conducted his first concert with us mid 2017.  He is Sub principal trumpet with NZSO.

We play a variety of music, typically from the classical orchestra repertoire, but also modern pieces. If you link to our past events, you will see previous concert programmes, and also about the orchestral weekend which attracts players from much of central New Zealand.

Community orchestras have considerable freedom in what they might play. For our 50th anniversary concert, we played the premiere of an specially commissioned unusual composition by Claire Cowan for a split orchestra. We have also done 'unstaged' musicals. This year's concerts can be viewed on the concert schedule page.

We have provided the Hutt Valley Orchestra Cup to be presented at the Hutt Valley Performing Arts Competition for the most outstanding performer.  As part of their prize, winners have the opportunity to play with the orchestra at a later concert.

Where we play

We rehearse at St Mark's Church, 58 Woburn Rd, Lower Hutt. Mondays 7.30 to 9:30 pm. See the Contact us page for more information.

A frequent concert venue is St James Church, Woburn Road, Lower Hutt beside the Library. This church has lovely acoustics, and a number of chamber groups and touring performers also like to play there. We have also played at Expressions in Upper Hutt and in Carterton.

Societies Registration

We are an Incorporated Society registered under the incorporated societies act, and also as a Charitable Trust. You can search for us under the societies registration ("hutt valley orch" is sufficient to 'quick search' us, or do a standard search for 2400613.) Or you can download the registration pdf from us.