OUR PEOPLE

Susan Densem

Music Director and Conductor

Susan is conductor, singer and multi-instrumentalist. She began her professional singing career in 1986 with Canterbury Opera and has performed with Queensland Opera and New Zealand Opera. Susan has sung as a soloist for many choral societies within New Zealand and Australia, touring extensively overseas with a number of ensembles. After completing her music degree […]

Brent Stewart

Assistant Director & Accompanist

Brent Stewart is currently Orpheus Choir Wellington’s Music Director, Orchestra Wellington’s Principal Percussionist, and NZSSC’s Assistant Director. On the side, Brent also serves as NZSO’s director of filming. Brent was HoD Music at Wellington East Girls’ College from 2010-2019 and Music Director of the Hutt Valley Orchestra from 2007-2017. Coming up, Brent will be conducting […]

Benjamin Madden

Assistant Director & Vocal Consultant

Benjamin Madden is a proudly born-and-bred Dunedin tenor trained by Pat Scally-Richardson and Judy Bellingham. Since finishing vocal study at the University of Otago, Benjamin has been working as a freelance singer, a choral director and private singing tutor in Dunedin. Ben currently teaches singing and directs choirs for Otago Boys’ High School and Otago […]

Ange Kalogeropoulos

Ange Kalogeropoulos

Manager NZSSC

Emma Blood-Mouat

Student Welfare Manager

As an occupational therapist for over 30 years, Emma has been privileged to walk alongside many rangatahi in their rehabilitation from serious injuries as well as in her work in the education system (primary, secondary, and tertiary). This has included considerable focus on overall wellbeing and mental health. Emma currently operates her private practice in […]

Dr Karen Grylls

Artistic Director

Dr Karen Grylls was appointed Musical Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir in 1989. She founded Voices New Zealand in March 1998, and is now Artistic Director of both these national choirs.

Arne Herrmann

Chief Executive

Taking up the role as Chief Executive of Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand in May 2016,  Arne has worked for over 20 years in Arts and Festival Management in New Zealand. He held senior management positions at New Zealand Festival, Auckland Arts Festival, and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and the contemporary dance company The Human Garden.

Tahlia Griffis

Associate Producer & Marketing

Tahlia is a composer from Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington. She holds a Bachelor of Music in instrumental/vocal composition, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Practice,  where she specialised in film scoring. Tahlia has worked on local projects such as BBC’s The Luminaries, Blue Moon, Loading Docs He Hekenga Tuhura and Haka Haha, and the  TVNZ short series Little […]

BOARD

For more information on the Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand trustees, please visit choirs.nz

Diana Cable

Trustee

Wellington, Chair of the Artistic Advisory Group of Choirs Aotearoa

Linda Webb MNZM

Trustee

Post-graduate study researcher (former trustee NZSSC Trust)

Amanda Barclay

Chair

Wellington, Lawyer (former trustee NZSSC Trust)

Warren Kilham

Trustee

Auckland, Chartered Accountant

Richard Sorrenson

Trustee

Auckland, Former GM of the University of Auckland Foundation

Bianca Davidson

Trustee

NGĀTI POROU, NGĀTI KAHUNGUNU, NGĀTI HINE NZYC alumna

Gina Rogers

TRUSTEE

WELLINGTON