The choir was formed in 1979[1] by Guy Jansen and has subsequently been conducted by Professor Peter Godfrey (1980 to 1988), Dr Karen Grylls (1989 to 2010) and David Squire (since 2011).
At the end of 2013 the choir toured to Los Angeles (where it participated in a performance of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem at the Walt Disney Concert Hall), Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, New York and Washington DC.
During its 2016 European Landmark Tour, NZYC won the GRAND PRIX at the 2016 IFAS in Pardubice Czech Republic and also all four categories it competed in.
It also performed at Windsor Castle, Cambridge Summer Music Festival, Ely Cathedral, Oxford, Notre Dame de Paris, and Le Quesnoy.
Notable former members of the choir include: conductor Tecwyn Evans, soprano Anna Leese, bass baritone Jonathan Lemalu, tenor Simon O'Neill, soprano Madeleine Pierard, baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, bass Martin Snell, all three members of Sol3 Mio, baritone in the King's Singers Chris Bruerton, journalist Hilary Barry, and composers Igelese Ete, David Hamilton, Anthony Ritchie and Glenda Keam.