Music Director

Prior to moving to New Zealand in 2012, Christopher J. Luke worked as a professional musician for ten years in the Australian Army and as a music educator for twelve years in private schools in Melbourne and Hobart. He arrived in New Plymouth to take up the post of Director of Music to Taranaki Community & Cathedral and Executive Officer to the Music Innovation Trust of Taranaki, a post he held until May 2023. He continues to be very active in the performing arts scene working as the General Manager to the New Plymouth Operatic Society, Organist & Director of Music to the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary, Music Director to Ars Nova Choir, the Great Taranaki Steam Band and the Taranaki Symphony Orchestra. He also sits as a Trustee with the Taranaki Brass Academy.

Major performances include Giuseppe Verdi’s Messe de Requiem as part of the 2013 Taranaki International Arts Festival, the world première of David Hamilton’s Voices in the Air, the New Zealand premières of Karl Jenkins’ The Peacemakers and Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concert along with performances of Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem and regular performances in the Crystal Palace Spiegel Tent with the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust. He has been privileged to work with leading opera/oratorio singers Barbara Graham, Lesley Graham, Linden Loader, Anna Pierard, Bryony Williams, John Beaglehole, Derek Hill, Jonathan Lemalu and Roger Wilson. He was music director for New Plymouth Operatic Society’s productions of The Phantom of the Opera (2014), Mary Poppins (2017), Wicked (2021), Roald Dahl’s Matilda – The Musical (2022), We will rock you (2023) and Jersey Boys - The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons (2024). He is well known for his pipe organ recitals held around the region in Hāwera, New Plymouth and Stratford along with his summer series of performances on The Kibby Carillon on Pūkākā/Marsland Hill. His work with the Music Innovation Trust of Taranaki over an eleven-year period saw him deliver 864 events/performances, including over 260 pipe organ recitals, to over 260,000 people across Taranaki. In 2024 he was invested as a Knight of Honour with the Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller.

Christopher is married to Amelia, and they have five children: Bethanie, Elliana, Lucyanne, Annabelle and Alexander. 

Contact Christopher: christopher@taranakicathedral.nz