OUR PEOPLE

David Squire

Music Director

In 2011 David Squire was appointed Music Director of New Zealand Youth Choir. Current chair of the New Zealand Association of Choral Directors, he is also a national conducting advisor and tutor, and a governance board member of the New Zealand Choral Federation. In 2016 he led NZYC to win the Grand Prix at IFAS in the Czech Republic.

Michael Stewart

Deputy Music Director

Michael Stewart is one of the country’s leading concert organists.He was appointed to the NZ Youth Choir in 2017. Michael is also Organist and Director of Music at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul and Music Director of The Tudor Consort.

Morag Atchison

Vocal Consultant

Morag is one New Zealand’s leading sopranos. A graduate of the University of Auckland and the Royal Academy of Music (London), Morag has sung in the UK, Europe, the USA and Africa.

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.

Louise Jakeway

Manager of NZ Youth Choir and Voices NZ

Louise has over 10 years working in Arts Management in a variety of fields. Louise joined Choirs Aotearoa NZ in January 2020 as Manager of NZYC and Voices NZ.

Ben Fagan

Marketing Manager

Ben Fagan is a marketer and producer from Te Matau-a-Māui & Te Whanganui-a-Tara, specialising in digital media. Ben has worked with London Film and Comic Con, Apples and Snakes, NZ Fringe, and is part of the team behind the New Zealand Poetry Slam, Ruri Tūtohu Motif Poetry and Taiohi Whakaari ā-Motu National Youth Drama School. […]

Tahlia Griffis

Assistant Producer

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 (passed with distinction) 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 upcoming […]

BOARD

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

Warren Kilham

Trustee, Voices 365

Auckland, Chartered Accountant

Richard Sorrenson

Trustee
Auckland, General Manager of the University of Auckland Foundation

Diana Cable

Trustee

Wellington, Chair of the Artistic Advisory Group of Choirs Aotearoa

Diccon Sim

Trustee

Dunedin, Lawyer

Linda Webb MNZM

Trustee

Auckland, Post-graduate study researcher (former trustee NZSSC Trust)

Amanda Barclay

Chair

Wellington, Lawyer (former trustee NZSSC Trust)

Katie Macfarlane

Trustee

Wellington, Educator (former trustee NZSSC Trust)