The Big Sing Regional Adjudicators 2025

17 Feb 2025

We're thrilled to announce this year's line up of adjudicators for The Big Sing Regionals.

Judy Bellingham

Judy Bellingham Photo Previously Associate Professor of Voice at Otago University, Judy Bellingham now teaches voice in her busy private studio and presents vocal and choral workshops throughout the country. She is an internationally recognized vocal clinician and has given papers at a number of overseas conferences, including in Sweden on the increasing use of taonga puoro in NZ vocal music and in Australia on the influence of New Zealand poetry on New Zealand vocal music.

Judy has published a book on sight-singing, Sing What You See, See What You Sing, and DVDs Warm Me Up, Judy! and Body, Voice and Brain. She has also recorded a CD of New Zealand song, and a DVD on historical Dunedin songs, Songs of Old Dunedin. Judy was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016.

Claire Caldwell

Thumbnail Caldwell Headshot (002) Claire Caldwell was for many years the Performing Arts Manager and Director of Choral Music at Dilworth School where she curated the next generation of musical talent. She is now expanding that kaupapa in a newly created role as director of Musicatalyst, a studio and coaching program established to allow access to the highest level of performance and learning environments.

Claire has been privileged to work with the country’s finest operatic talent both in the rehearsal room and on the concert platform through her work at the University of Auckland, Dame Kiri te Kanawa Foundation, Auckland Opera Studio, New Zealand Aria Competition and New Zealand Opera.

Her students have made their mark on international stages, including twice winning the Lexus Songquest, being selected for prestigious young artists programs in London and New York, making their operatic debuts at London's Royal Opera House, New York's Metropolitan Opera House and Paris Opera amongst others, and in musical theatre productions around the world including Miss Saigon and Hamilton.

Brent Stewart

Brent Stewart is a leading New Zealand conductor, percussionist, and pianist. In 2025, he conducts the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Orchestra Wellington, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Manukau Symphony Orchestra and Opus Orchestra. Highlights this year will include conducting The Monster in the Maze with NZ Opera, Mana Moana at Spark Arena, Synthony at Jim Beam Homegrown, and a combined performance of Carmina Burana with Auckland Choral, Orpheus Choir Wellington, and Wellington Brass Band.

Beyond the podium, Brent is also a producer and arranger. He recently worked as an orchestral recording producer on Nickelodeon's Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, and arranged music for the New Zealand feature film, Tinā. Brent is also Music Director of Orpheus Choir Wellington, Assistant Conductor and Pianist for the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir, and Section Principal Timpani of Orchestra Wellington.

For more information about The Big Sing 2025, click here.

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