Choral conductor Joe Christensen Photo: Supplied
Joe Christensen's mother was right: he never quite broke into the world of professional opera.
But as a leader of choirs, Hawkes Bay wouldn't be the same without him.
After more than two decades at the helm, Christensen will give his last concert as music director of Hastings Choral at the end of this month.
But Hastings Choral is just one of dozens of school and adult choirs he's directed over the years.
The perfect vowel... Photo: Supplied
Christensen spoke with RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump ahead of his retirement in a conversation that covered everything from his early musical memories (singing folk music) to his plans for a campervan trip around New Zealand with his wife Vonda.
While he might be taking a break from regular choral conducting, Christensen still plans to keep making music. He's teaching himself guitar, and he's also available to do a bit of itinerant choral conducting as he and Vonda tour the country.
