The New Zealand Doctors’ Orchestra brings doctors and medical students from across New Zealand together to make music at a high level. Once a year, the orchestra meets for an intensive rehearsal weekend and public concert.
Players apply for each concert, including those who have played with the NZDO before. Around 65–80 musicians form a full symphony orchestra. Locations vary around New Zealand, with cities usually chosen because of suitable venues and supportive communities. More than 350 musicians have played with the NZDO since 2012.
The orchestra meets annually over three days (Friday to Sunday) for intensive rehearsals and organised social events, culminating in a Sunday afternoon concert.
The orchestra is primarily made up of New Zealand-based doctors and medical students. We are often joined by a small number of overseas-based doctors and guest players. Our concerts regularly feature doctors or medical students as soloists.
The NZDO brings together two parts of life that can easily become separated: medicine and music. It provides an opportunity to maintain or rediscover music alongside a medical career, while building friendships and collegiality across the medical community.
The New Zealand Doctors’ Orchestra is run on a unique model. Every dollar from public ticket sales is donated to a local community organisation; to date, these have been local hospices. This is because orchestra members pay an enrolment fee that covers the costs of staging each concert, including venue hire, rehearsal facilities and the conductor. We also receive some sponsorship, including for some student travel. Since our inaugural concert in 2012, our audiences have helped raise $91,122.85 for hospices throughout New Zealand while enjoying high-quality orchestral music performed by doctors and medical students.
The New Zealand Doctors’ Orchestra is an independent, volunteer-run charitable organisation. It is organised by a small team of doctors – Tim Wilkinson, Lynette Murdoch and Tom Wilkinson – with support from volunteers, sponsors and the communities in which it performs.
The NZDO is a Charitable Entity registered with the New Zealand Charities Commission.
There is a medical orchestra in Auckland, and the Christchurch Doctors’ Orchestra has given annual performances for over 30 years. There is a World Doctors Orchestra, and doctors’ orchestras in other countries. The NZDO follows a similar formula to that of the Australian Doctors’ Orchestra and the European Doctors’ Orchestra.