Sarah has a a Bachelor of Choral Music Education from Butler University (hons) and a Master of Music from The University of Auckland. After living and teaching English in the Kingdom of Tonga, Sarah fell in love with the South Pacific and moved to NZ in 2009. Her music teaching career began at Waiheke High School, where she established the school’s first choral programme.

Sarah now leads a thriving choral programme at Macleans College, overseeing five choirs and more than 400 students. Alongside her choral work and role as head of curriculum music, she has directed community choirs, including working as part of the directorship team at All Together Now.

Sarah has been a passionate choral singer since the age of seven when she joined Essex Children’s Choir. Since then, she has sung with show choirs, university chamber and madrigal choirs, and was part of MUSE: Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir. In NZ, Sarah has sung with Sister Shout on Waiheke Island and Auckland Chamber Choir. Sarah currently sings with Luminata Voices.

Hailing from the UK, Jessica moved to New Zealand for this new role with CANZ and brings extensive experience from across the choral arts management sector. Most recently working as Artist Manager at James Brown Management, Jessica spent several years leading operational management of The Tallis Scholars – spearheading the planning and execution of more than 300 high-profile performances across 25 countries for this world-class ensemble by collaborating with promoters, festivals and broadcasters throughout the globe to pilot the logistical and strategic delivery of the group’s international artistic work. Her wider JBM portfolio included supporting choral conductors Daniel Hyde and Nicholas Chalmers, and the GRAMMY-winning Attacca Quartet.

Alongside her work at JBM, Jessica took on a pivotal leadership role in the formation and growth of Cambridge University Schola Cantorum. Having played a central part in leading the international campaign to save St John’s Voices as it faced closure, Jessica went on to serve as Cambridge Schola’s first General Manager after its emergence from SJV following its disbandment. She was instrumental in guiding the choir through its transition and reconstitution, helping to re-establish the ensemble with a renewed artistic vision and organisational structure. Working closely with the Artistic Director, she contributed to defining the choir’s vision, mission and long-term strategic direction, and aided the facilitation of community engagement and outreach projects such as development opportunities with the BBC Singers and Sheffield’s Steel City Choristers.

Jessica also brings extensive experience as a professional choral singer, having held posts with the VOCES8 Scholars, Choirs of Clare & Trinity Colleges in Cambridge, St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and the Choir of Royal Holloway amongst others. Jessica has enjoyed singing on the freelance choral circuit across the UK and Europe for a number of years, also acting as choral fixer for a variety of projects including ‘Carols at the Royal Albert Hall’ and the Edington Music Festival.

She holds a Bachelor of Music (Hons) and Master of Music from Royal Holloway, University of London, and spent a year studying on international exchange at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Te Kōkī – New Zealand School of Music.

Freya is a 22 year old mezzo soprano from Ōtautahi, who now lives and studies in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Freya began taking singing lessons at 16 years old, and has been a member of NZSSC (2021-2022) and NZYC (2023-2025).

Freya is currently completing a BAHons in Cultural Anthropology at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, and sings with the Wellington Youth Choir.

Sam Nicholson has been a baritone with the New Zealand Youth Choir since 2023. He also sings with the Auckland Chamber Choir and plays clarinet in the West City Concert Band. Sam serves on the Governance Board of the New Zealand Choral Federation and is the Oceania Representative on the Youth Committee of the International Federation for Choral Music.

Outside of music, Sam is a Junior Barrister at Shortland Chambers and the Lead Contract Law Tutor at the University of Auckland. He graduated from the University of Auckland in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) conjoint.

Robin is a graduate of the University of Otago and the University of Auckland with degrees in Law, Commerce and Intellectual Property. Starting his choral journey at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, he has been a member of NZSSC, NZYC and Voices NZ. Singing with NZYC since 2022, Robin sang with the choir that won ‘Choir of the World’ at the International Eisteddford competition in Llangollen, Wales.

As an active arranger, Robin has had works performed in New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and the United States. His arrangements have been sung in several national barbershop championship titles, including by Pacific Connection, Manu Mātātahi and Promenade. His own quartet, Heist, placed sixth internationally at the NextGen Varsity Contest performing two of his own arrangements.

Robin is now completing a Graduate Diploma in Teaching at the University of Waikato. He leads the barbershop music programmes at Kristin School and Westlake Girls High School. Robin is also an itinerant music tutor at Kristin School and is vocal coach for Boystrous, the senior lower voices choir.

Tenor Teddy Finney Waters is in his 3rd year at the University of Otago, studying classical singing and law. He learns under Dr Tessa Romano and Judy Bellingham. Teddy recently attended the New Zealand Opera School, and has found success in competitions throughout the country. He is member of the 2026-2028 New Zealand Youth Choir, an RSA choir vocal scholar, and in his spare time, also sings with the Southern Youth Choir and the Octagon Ensemble. In 2023-24, Teddy was the choir leader of the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir, and currently is the choir director at John McGlashan College, Knox College, and All Saint’s Church.

Final year Civil Engineering student at UoA. Started singing at 6 years old at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland and have sung in choirs all throughout school in Masterton and more recently in Auckland Youth Choir and Auckland Chamber Choir. Was fortunate enough to be featured in the movie TINĀ as part of the school choir. Also an avid Barbershop Quartet singer currently singing in a quartet with 2 other NZYC members, Robin and Matthew.

I am from the beautiful and heavenly Island of Samoa. My Mum is from the villages of Saleleologa, Vailoa Palauli, Malie, and Vaimoso. My Dad hails from the villages of Safotu, and Faleū Manono. My faith, family and culture are of the utmost importance to me and I would be nothing without it. I also love to sing. I am currently studying a conjoint degree in Music and Law at the University of Auckland. My singing journey started in church singing for youth, choir and different performances and events. Since then I have worked with some great people like Claire Caldwell, Johnathan Lemalu, Roderick Williams, Catrin Johnsonn, James Harrison and Wade Kernot. I was born in Australia and raised in South Auckland. I’m proud of where I come from, and eternally grateful to be part of NZYC 2026-2028.

Kia ora I’m Noah. I’m from Pukenui, a small town in the far north of Aotearoa, and I now live in Dunedin while I study. I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics, and alongside my studies I’m deeply involved in national and international youth advisory work, as well as running leadership courses and initiatives for rangatahi across the motu. I’m passionate about uplifting Pacific and Māori communities and creating spaces where young people can be heard, supported, and empowered.
I’ve been singing since I was six, and growing up in a small town meant my first choir experience didn’t start until I was 14. From there my choral journey took me to the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir and then to the Southern Youth Choir all of which helped shape who I am as a singer and musician. I was also featured in Choir Games, a four‑part documentary series that follows two very different choirs one from rural New Zealand and one from New York City as they prepare for and compete at the 2024 World Choir Games, the largest international choral competition on Earth.
Outside of singing and study, I keep bees, and I’m proud to be the youngest registered celebrant in New Zealand. When I’m not conducting workshops on Zooms, rehearsing, or studying, you can usually find me somewhere between a honey frame, or a korero with someone about how we can make our communities stronger and more inclusive.

Alex comes from Christchurch, where he studies Mechatronics Engineering at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, The University of Canterbury. Alex attended Burnside High School, where he was a member of Malestrom and Magna Voce, and was a member of the NZSSC 2023-24 cycle. Alex trained under opera singer Oliver Sewell, and outside NZYC, sings with local Barbershop chorus Quantum Acoustics (2023 Silver Pan-Pacific medalist), and two quartets. He also serves as the captain of competitive robotics at UC, where he spends his time programming and tinkering with electronics. Alongside study, Alex works as a remote software developer for Swedish based company “Navigraph”.