2026 NZCF Governance Board Elections
27 Mar 2026
In May this year, there will be three NZCF Board vacancies to fill, with two current members standing for re-election.
NZCF Chair Pete Rainey and current Board member Raymond Tan will complete their current 3-year terms in May and are eligible for re-election. Robin Randall served on the Board from May 2023 and stepped down at the end of 2025. We are very grateful to Robin for his service.
Kim Cunningham (Deputy Chair), Melissa Absolum, Dr Karen Grylls, Henrietta Hunkin-Tagaloa and Sam Nicholson will continue as Board members.
We have received four nominations for the three positions available and will therefore be holding an election. The four board nominees are Rachel Alexander Sutherland, John Beaglehole, Pete Rainey and Raymond Tan, and biographical information on each candidate is at the bottom of this page.
Votes for the 2026 Governance Board elections will close at midnight on 10 April 2026.
Eligibility to vote
- Personal/ACD members are entitled to one vote each. Member choirs are entitled to one vote for the first 25 singing members and a further vote for each subsequent 25 members (or part thereof), up to a maximum of four votes.
- Only current financial members and Life Members may vote.
Process
- Tick the check box alongside the names of the candidates you wish to vote for.
- You may vote for up to THREE candidates.
- Complete the membership information at the bottom of the form.
- Email your completed voting paper to the NZCF’s independent scrutineer,
Andrew Matangi (retired lawyer) at elections@nzcf.org.nz, OR post your completed voting paper to Andrew Matangi, NZCF Elections, 18 Cashmere Avenue, Khandallah, Wellington 6035 - Voting papers must be emailed, posted or delivered to the scrutineer by Friday 10 April 2026 to be counted for this election.
Counting the votes
The NZCF’s scrutineer will open the emails and envelopes, count the votes and report the result to NZCF. Votes will not be counted if you vote for more than three candidates, if you (or the choir on whose behalf you are voting) are not a financial member for this year, if your vote is unclear, or if your vote is not posted, emailed or delivered by 10 April 2026.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE 2026 NZCF GOVERNANCE BOARD VOTING PAPERS
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rachel Alexander Sutherland
Rachel is a passionate advocate for choral music, education, and fostering a lifelong love of singing. Encouraging kids who discover choral music to become adults who love singing is a key driver for Rachel seeking to join the board of NZCF. By removing barriers and supporting passionate teachers or leaders, she aims to help choral groups grow and flourish in schools and communities.
With over 20 years of experience as a voice specialist, choral director, and curriculum teacher in both state and private sectors, she has directed intermediate and secondary school choirs to gold awards at the NZCF Big Sing and Kids Sing Festivals.
In 2023, Rachel joined the New Zealand Choral Federation as an Outreach Mentor, working with primary and intermediate schools across the upper North Island. She also provides mentoring in association with CANZ and is frequently invited to work with school and community choirs nationwide.
Rachel holds a Master of Music in Classical Performance Voice from the University of Auckland and has sung with Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir since 2010. She was the Assistant Director and Principal Vocal Consultant for the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir from 2011 to 2021.
Committed to fostering inclusive, collaborative, and culturally responsive choral environments, Rachel empowers singers by demystifying technique, language, and repertoire, creating dynamic and engaging learning experiences.
If elected to the NZCF Board, Rachel would bring her deep experience in choral leadership, mentoring, and education, along with a strong commitment to accessibility in choral singing across all levels.
John Beaglehole
Singing: Singing, especially choral singing, has been a huge part of my life. I sang as a treble at Wellington Cathedral; since then, lots of singing, including in NZ Youth Choir, Cantoris, and The Tudor Consort (Chair since 2018). I studied singing at VUW, sang in operas, and am a soloist around the North Island. I lived in New York for six years, and made sure to find a good choir!
I have two children who sing, and have both been at Big Sing Finales.
Professional skills: I have the background and expertise to make a strong contribution to the NZCF Board, with significant legal and governance experience, including with public funding, and on areas such as on financial controls, operational oversight, and risk and assurance.
I was a lawyer, involved in dispute resolution and litigation (in NZ, US, UK) for 15 years. I also have 20 years’ experience as a senior manager and consultant across the public service.
I look to develop good solutions for hard problems. I provide financial advice about options, work with stakeholders including Māori and Pasifika, and ensure that solutions are financially viable and can be implemented.
Areas of particular interest: Making sure we have a strong network of choirs is key to New Zealand being a singing nation. I’m interested in what the NZCF can do to get people to start singing and keep them singing, whether from school into the broader choral community, or in prisons, workplaces, and retirement villages.
Pete Rainey MNZM
Pete grew up in Nelson where he was a member of the Nelson Cathedral Choir, Polyhymnos, and the Nelson Civic Choir. He graduated B.Mus. from Canterbury University, trained as a secondary school teacher, and held HOD Music roles at Hornby High School and Nelson College for Girls.
He was a member of the National Youth Choir and the National Youth Orchestra and continues to be involved in music in Nelson, where he recently conducted the Chroma Chamber Choir and has previously conducted the Nelson Civic Choir, Polyhymnos Chamber Choir and Nelson College for Girls Senior Choir. Other choral activity includes conducting the Addington Railway Workshops Male Voice Choir, the Christ’s College Chapel Choir, Christchurch Youth Choir and the Nelson Male Voice Choir.
Pete was the founding Musical Director of the National Male Choir, which he conducted on a tour of Wales in 2000, and has been the artistic director of Opera in the Park in Nelson since 1999.
An experienced event producer, Pete’s company Rockquest Promotions Ltd has been producing nationwide music events, including the Smokefreerockquest Secondary Music Competition, for over 30 years.
Pete has served on the NZCF Board since 2020 and has been Chair for the past year. He is a fifth-term Nelson City Councillor and is currently Deputy Mayor of Nelson. He has previously held board positions with local arts organisations including the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts (formerly Nelson School of Music). Pete was awarded the MNZM for services to music in 2013.
Dr Raymond Tan
Raymond Tan has served on the NZ Choral Federation Board since 2023, contributing to strengthened governance, improved financial oversight, and deeper engagement with regional choral communities. He brings more than 15 years of governance experience across arts, community, and public‑sector organisations, including roles with the NZ Children’s Choral Academy, The Trusts Arena, Glenfield Community Centre, Northcote Business Association, NZ Chinese Association (Auckland), Lottery Distribution Committee and Occupational Therapy Board NZ.
Raymond has a long-standing passion for choral music and community arts, having supported his three sons’ growth through the Kid Sing, Big Sing, and their singing in community, university and national choirs for over 20 years. He is committed to continuing his work to strengthen NZCF’s national voice, support regional networks, and ensure the choral sector thrives for future generations.
Raymond is a strong advocate for accessible, inclusive choral participation and has supported initiatives that expand opportunities for young singers, community choirs, and culturally diverse ensembles as a second-term elected member on the Auckland Kaipātiki Local Board. With his governance background in strategy, risk, and organisational development, he would like to help NZCF remain resilient and future‑focused in a changing arts environment.
Raymond is a Chartered Director (IOD), a Chartered Governance Professional (CGI) and holds a PhD, MBA, BA(Hons) and various professional certifications in finance, audit and risk management.