For the first time since the Canterbury earthquakes, musical instruments will once again be played inside the damaged Christ Church Cathedral. On Monday, December 16, Woolston Brass—a band founded in 1891—will perform a short, private concert inside the cathedral, followed by a public event in Cathedral Square to raise funds for the Christchurch City Mission.
The intimate cathedral concert will be livestreamed on the social media pages of Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited (CCRL), the charitable organization overseeing the cathedral’s restoration. After the 15-minute performance, the 30-member band will move outside for an open-air public performance, where donations will be collected for the City Mission.
Woolston Brass general manager Todd Turner expressed their eagerness to participate when invited by CCRL. “Woolston Brass is as old as the cathedral. We’ve missed it. The cathedral holds many memories for us, and so many amazing musicians have played there,” Turner said.
He added that while the band was saddened by the pause in the restoration project, they were happy to support the cathedral and help raise money for the local charity. “We and CCRL are two charities joining forces for another, the City Mission, at Christmas.”
The cathedral’s restoration project was halted in August due to an $85 million funding shortfall. Without government support, CCRL had no choice but to pause the work. Despite the setback, the Anglican Church remains committed to restoring the cathedral. CCRL emphasized that efforts to find solutions and secure funding continue, with ongoing discussions with the government, Christchurch City Council, and potential donors.
CCRL chairperson Mark Stewart stated, “We will continue to protect our city’s heritage, our taonga. As well as being a spiritual place, our cathedral is a symbol of human and social accomplishment—a thread that connects generations. That is what motivates our endeavor.”
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