We are currently looking for some new players – particularly upper strings.  If you’d like to join the orchestra, please contact us to check availability of places – we’d love to hear from you.​

We are compiling a database of people interested in our future concerts, so please contact us if you'd like to have your name added.  

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Resonance Ensemble was formed in February 2012 by players, and is now firmly established as an integral part of the musical landscape of Christchurch and beyond.  Recognised as a high-quality, innovative and flexible orchestral ensemble, Resonance provides opportunities for musicians and audiences to experience both popular and novel repertoire beyond the more standard fare offered by Christchurch’s only fully professional orchestra.  Programmes range from music for chamber orchestra, works for larger ensemble, and New Zealand compositions, including new commissions.

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The orchestra rehearses weekly, presenting three or four concerts per year, and works primarily with Christchurch-based conductors and soloists.  Conductors have included Tony Ryan, Helen Renaud, Anthony Ferner and Mark Hodgkinson.

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Our next concert will be 3pm Sunday 25 September at the Piano - so diary the date now. The final concert will be on 4 December. We look forward to presenting wonderful and innovative programmes for our growing and appreciative audience. 

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Thanks for your support.

Tony Ryan is well-known to Christchurch audiences as a conductor, composer, educator, reviewer and adjudicator. He has worked extensively as a conductor and composer for many musical organisations including Canterbury Opera, Court Theatre, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Youth Orchestra.

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As a teacher he led the performing arts at Linwood College for more than thirty years before spending several years working in Kenya and Singapore. Since returning to New Zealand, Tony has worked as a regular conductor of Resonance Ensemble, conductor of the Christchurch School of Music Sinfonia and conductor of the Christchurch Schools' Music Festival Orchestra.  Tony’s compositions have been performed and broadcast extensively in New Zealand and abroad, and his most recent works have been performed by Resonance Ensemble, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, orchestras from the Christchurch School of Music and by various other ensembles and soloists.

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Tony also reviews and writes on matters of musical interest – check out his website here.

Soprano Soloist: Helen Charlton

Helen Charlton is an experienced Christchurch-based singer, performing regularly as a soloist and choral director. Born and raised in Christchurch, she attended Linwood High School for her senior years, graduated from Canterbury University with a music degree majoring in Performance Singing and Massey University with a Graduate Diploma in Secondary School Teaching. Helen has been involved with performing in opera, oratorio, chamber opera, solo recitals, musical theatre, television, and radio.

Her time is divided between teaching voice, conducting school choirs and barbershop, teaching in her private studio and directing The Canterbury Westland Branch Law Choir.

She has a passion for education through singing and is on the Canterbury/West Coast Committee for the New Zealand Choral Federation as well as National Committee for the Association of Choral Directors. Helen is always delighted to be working with her former music teacher!

Leader: Cornelia Didenco 

Cornelia was born in Moldova, one of the ex-Soviet Union republics and is a graduate of the Moldavian State Conservatorium. She has more than 30 years’ experience teaching and for most of that time has also played in symphony orchestras in both Moldova and New Zealand. During her time in the Moldavian Symphony Orchestra she performed at the Sala Verdi in La Scala, and at other prestigious venues in Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Romania.

After emigrating to New Zealand, she joined the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and has also appeared as a soloist and in chamber groups, and as the leader of the Resonance Ensemble. Since joining the CSO she has toured with them to Japan and has performed with celebrities such as Diana Krall, Cliff Richard, George Benson, Serj Tankian, and Andrea Bocelli.