Professor Godfrey was director of music at both Auckland and Wellington Cathedrals, and brought to both choirs the high standards of his own training at King’s College, Cambridge.
He worked tirelessly for choral music in New Zealand, and achieved overseas acclaim with the New Zealand Youth Choir on the two world tours they made under his direction. He had earlier led world tours by Auckland’s Dorian Singers, and the University of Auckland Festival Choir, further enhancing the reputation of New Zealand’s choral singing.
Peter Godfrey’s passion for choral music in New Zealand led him to form the NZ Choral Federation and to lead workshops in choral singing and conducting across the country. He stimulated many New Zealand composers to write for choirs, both by commissioning works and by providing superb choral groups to sing them.
Professor Godfrey brought his family to New Zealand from England in 1958 and settled in Auckland, where he held positions at the cathedral and the university. He also took over the Auckland String Players and developed the group into what is now the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Later in life Peter Godfrey and his wife Sheila moved to Waikanae, where Peter became Director of Music [please check this title] at Wellington Cathedral and founded the Kapiti Chamber Choir.
John Rosser, Chair of the New Zealand Choral Federation, writes: “Peter was a brilliant and truly inspirational choral leader, whose influence on this country’s singers and conductors will continue to be felt for many years to come."
- Grant Hutchinson
