Choir member Eileen von Dadelszen said this was an exciting experience, especially for those who had never before had the opportunity to perform Messiah.
An article published a year later in the HB Herald Tribune reported that the choir then grew from a cup of tea after these performances, reaching 59 members by the middle of 1986 who practised once a week, still under the guidance of Kathleen Barry.
Today, rehearsals for the non-auditioned choir are still held once a week, ably guided by musical director Mr Christensen, who said numbers had dropped through attrition to about 25 by the time he started as musical director in 2007, but had now increased to 70.
"It's just come away again and it's lovely - we are always getting more people asking to join - it's very much a community choir and that's a real part of its attraction."
When he was singing as a soloist with the choir, he said he used to stand next to Peter Price, who is today the choir's patron.
Mr Price, now 89, said he was a choirboy about 80 years ago and came from a big family who loved to stand around the piano and sing.
"My wife Cecily was more into classical music than me but she got me into it.
"When I first started they could not find a president - I had been involved in swimming clubs and the likes and said I would give it a go - I lasted for six years."
Within that time, he said he was very proud to have organised for a set of wooden rostrums to be built for the singers to stand on - until then they had borrowed them from local schools.
His eyesight was such now that he couldn't read the music so he doesn't sing with the choir any more - but a few years ago he did sing the Messiah in Napier, from memory.
St Matthew's Church in Hastings, with its beautiful acoustics, is the choir's home for rehearsals, but many churches have supported the choir over the years, and they have performed in a number of them across Hawke's Bay, Mr Price said.
As well as singing in these diverse venues, the society performs regularly with other choirs, ranging from Central Hawke's Bay to Gisborne and Taupo.
In 1994, several members of the choir joined an international chorus singing Verdi's Requiem in three venues in Australia with Luciano Pavarotti as the tenor soloist.
Later this year, the choir will again be joining with the Taupo Choral Society performing in both Hastings and Taupo, said Mrs von Dadelszen.
Over the years, the choir raised money to support study and travel costs for Hawke's Bay student musicians, to help restore the Hawke's Bay Opera House (in 2007) and replace the Sacred Heart Church after the fire in 1992.
It has also taken part in many civic events, most recently in leading the singing at the Hastings dawn service on Anzac Day.
Mrs von Dadelszen said the fact the choir had gone from strength to strength was a tribute to its foundation musical director Kath Barry, who guided the choir in its first 20 years.
"A prominent Hawke's Bay musician recently commented that Kath's vision and hard work in forming the Choral Society led to many people learning about our great musical heritage and gave many the opportunity to sing together music never before available to them."
A celebration lunch to commemorate the choir's 30th anniversary celebrations is planned for Sunday, June 18.
Anyone who has been involved with the choir in any way and who would like to join in this celebration is warmly invited to contact Eileen von Dadelszen, phone (06) 877 8174 or email evond@clear.net.nz.