Workshops

Sing Aotearoa Workshops and Presenters

Chameleon Choristers: Playing with Vocal Colour and Blend - Rachel Weston
How do you approach singing in your choir? Do you bring the same sound to most things you sing? Or do you vary your own personal tone and timbre according to the repertoire? How’s the blend within your voice section? Does each of you have a consistent vocal identity which you tend to stick to? In this workshop, we'll experiment with the sound we make when we sing, and will strive to create a variety of choral colours as a result. Join Rachel as we vocally shapeshift - and become choral chameleons!

Rachel Weston was an inaugural member of the NZ Youth Choir and, while still a student, was a finalist in the Mobil Song Quest. She was a member of the celebrated Swingle Singers for four years, working as their MD for two years and giving concerts in 25 countries. Rachel has sung with many of the world’s top orchestras as a soloist and as a member of the quartet Synergy Vocals, performing in major venues including London’s Royal Festival Hall and Barbican, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and Carnegie Hall. In the recording studio, Rachel has sung on the soundtracks of over 100 movies, has contributed to more than 50 studio albums by artists including Björk, Michael Jackson and Eric Clapton, and has recorded her own solo album, gentle rain.

Demystifying the Baroque Voice - Chalium Poppy & Jayne Tankersley
A vibrant and interactive workshop delving deeper into the nuances of baroque vocal performance. Singers will discover how baroque interpretation brings the music on the page to life through singing a selection of well-loved classics alongside lesser-known works of stunning beauty.

Chalium Poppy & Jayne Tankersley are two of New Zealand’s leading practitioners of baroque and early music, bringing decades of performance, teaching and conducting experience to their work. Both trained extensively overseas, developing a deep understanding of historically informed performance practice and the vocal and musical language of the Baroque. They have performed together extensively throughout New Zealand over many years, sharing a passion for bringing early music to life with energy, clarity and expressive detail. As performers, teachers and choral clinicians, they combine scholarly knowledge with practical experience, making their workshops engaging, inspiring and accessible to singers of all levels.

Effective and Fun Rehearsals - Bridget O’Shanassy
Learn how to make the time together during rehearsal productive and useful. For song leaders, section leaders, music teams, helpers and choristers who are looking to refresh their weekly routines. A fun interactive session!

Bridget O’Shanassy is in the unique position of directing 3 high school choirs, an adult Barbershop chorus and a Gospel choir, as well as teaching voice in four Wellington schools. She spent 2025 running workshops around the North Island, introducing young singers to the acapella craft of barbershop. A past member of the NZ Youth Choir, Bridget has been teaching and directing for over 20 years. Her passion lies in inspiring beginners to take the plunge and try choral or barbershop singing.

Get your Rhythm Fix! Workouts with TAKADIMI - Dr Karen Grylls
This interactive workshop will explore the Takadimi rhythmic solfège tool, helping you understand and experience steady beat and subdivision (which your choir director always talks about!), and guiding you through patterns that will increase your contribution and confidence in choral rehearsals.

Dr Karen Grylls recently retired as Associate Professor in Choral Conducting at the University of Auckland. She conducted the New Zealand Youth Choir from 1989 to 2011, including winning “Choir of the World” at the 1999 International Eisteddfod in Llangollen and the “Grand Prix Slovakia” also in 1999. Karen founded Voices New Zealand in 1998 and conducted the choir with equal success until March 2026. She is the former Artistic Director of Choirs Aotearoa NZ and is the current Chair of the New Zealand Association of Choral Directors (ACD). Karen has been honoured as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for her services to choral music.

Gregorian chant: From notation to performance - William McElwee
In this practical workshop you’ll explore the intricacies, inconsistencies, and undoubted beauties of Gregorian Chant, a unique art form that has suffused Western classical music from Medieval times, through the Renaissance, to the realms of film and musical theatre.

William McElwee William McElwee is Director of Music at St Mary of the Angels Church in Wellington, where there is a long and storied tradition of Gregorian chant. He has sung with the choirs of Exeter Cathedral, Buckfast Abbey, Croydon Minster, and Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, while on stage he has performed roles with NZ Opera, Eternity Opera, and Days Bay Opera. He is also Music Director of Youth Philharmonic Tauranga and has previously held positions with Bay of Plenty Symphonia, Wellington Young Voices, and various choirs in the UK.

Is Threshold Singing for You? - Shirley Harvey
Threshold singing offers gentle, live harmony at the bedsides of those nearing end of life, creating a calm, supportive atmosphere. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore this unique practice, its repertoire, and its role in care settings, experiencing how simple, responsive singing can offer comfort and connection.

Shirley Harvey established Cadence Threshold Singers in 2014. They are a group of women who learn a repertoire appropriate for end of life situations, singing in trios at bedsides upon request. She has had a long career as a music educator in early childhood, primary, tertiary and studio settings and has directed choirs and festivals in primary and intermediate schools. Her choral experience includes involvement in Auckland University Festival Choir, the Dorian Choir and the Greater Auckland Chorus. She also coordinated The Big Sing in Auckland for 7 years.

Ka hā, ka kō, ka tangi mai - The journey of te reo Māori in Aotearoa's choral landscape - Takerei Komene & Bianca Beard
Composer-poet duo Takerei Komene and Bianca Beard take a look at the unique journey of te reo Māori within the context of Western-style choral music. Using music they have created together, this workshop aims to bring insight into how to approach the singing of te reo in an authentic and informed manner, as well as poetic and compositional approaches that are essential to the performance of choral music using te reo.

Takerei Komene (Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-a-Apanui) sings in the Auckland Chamber Choir, 8bit Vocal Ensemble, and Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir. Previously, they were a member of the NZ Secondary Students Choir, and choir leader of the NZ Youth Choir. Takerei conducts a number of secondary school choirs and recently developed the Lower Voices Choral Festival in Tāmaki Makaurau. As a composer, Takerei’s works have been performed in Australia, the US, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium, the UK, Hong Kong, and all across Aotearoa.

Bianca Beard (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Hine) is a musician and te reo Māori educator based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She was a long-term member of the New Zealand Youth Choir and currently sings with 8bit Vocal Ensemble, Auckland Chamber Choir, and Voices New Zealand. Bianca is also a trustee of Choirs Aotearoa. Originally trained as an optometrist, graduating as a Senior Scholar with First Class Honours and a Dean’s Medal, Bianca now works at the intersection of te reo Māori and music. She has a particular love of teaching te reo, and her work in music centres on supporting the growth, recognition and presence of waiata reo Māori within Aotearoa and beyond.

Let’s Talk About Stage Fright! - Rachel Fuller
Through simple techniques and strategies, participants will explore ways to manage nerves, build confidence, and perform with greater ease. Ideal for musicians of all levels seeking practical tools to overcome stage fright and enhance performance wellbeing.

Rachel Fuller studied piano in Christchurch with Rosemary Miller Stott and Dierdre Irons as well as cello with Alexander Ivashkin. She gained her Masters in Piano Accompaniment from the Royal Academy of Music. Rachel lived and worked in London for 18 years, building her career as a vocal accompanist, répétiteur, vocal coach and piano teacher. During that time, Rachel worked with numerous British opera companies and performed all over Europe, most particularly in Sweden and Norway. Rachel is currently a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland where she teaches piano, collaborative piano, chamber music and is a vocal coach. She is also the Director of the NZ Voice Programme.

Making Choral Singing Easy - Julian Raphael & Laura Durville
Julian and Laura demonstrate how co-leading can make choral singing accessible, engaging, and joyful. Through practical modelling and support for all voice parts, participants will experience a collaborative, inclusive approach that helps singers learn quickly and connect through expressive, meaningful music-making.

Julian Raphael & Laura Durville jointly lead the Taranaki Singing Venture, a vibrant group of people from all walks of life who cherish singing together. Julian is a composer, arranger and song leader, and has been a champion for community choir singing in NZ for the past 20 years. He founded the Wellington Community Choir and directed it for 15 years. Now living in New Plymouth with his partner Laura, Julian directs the Taranaki Songmen with his own arrangements of popular songs from past decades.

Masterclass with 8bit - Rachel Weston
NZ-born UK-based singer Rachel Weston shares her extensive experience as a professional singer, including touring 25 countries as a member and Musical Director of the acclaimed Swingle Singers, in a masterclass with new Auckland octet 8bit.

Pese Mana Pasifika - Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo and Steven Rapana
This session will explore the richness of Pacific musical traditions and their place within contemporary choral practice. Participants can expect an engaging and practical workshop, with opportunities to learn repertoire, develop stylistic understanding, and deepen cultural connection through song.

Elisha Fa’i-So’oialo enjoys a busy career as a Music and Pasifika Arts teacher at Rotorua Boys’ High School, a performer, composer, choir director, and Artistic Director of Opera In The Pā. She was a member of the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir and the NZ Youth Choir and her successes as a solo singer include being a Lexus Song Quest semi-finalist and placing third in the New Zealand Aria competition. Elisha holds a Bachelor of Music and Post-Graduate Diploma of Music (Distinction) from the University of Auckland, and has been a recipient of the Dame Malvina Major Scholarship and the Creative NZ Iosefa Enari Memorial Scholarship.

Steven Rapana traces his family lineage back to his ancestral lands of the Hokianga in the north of Aotearoa, as well as to the Samoan villages of Sāfune and Sāmauga in Savai’i, and Vailoa (Aleipata) in Upolu, and has been greatly influenced by the customs and music of both cultures. A graduate of the University of Auckland in vocal performance and choral studies, Steven has arranged and composed music for many notable national choirs including the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir and the New Zealand Youth Choir. He currently works as a singing teacher, choral director, language coach, professional singer, arranger, and composer in and around New Zealand. Steven is Head of Choirs at King's College in Auckland and is Assistant Musical Director of All Together Now.

To Breathe or Not To Breathe… - Judy Bellingham
Breath is the foundation of good singing in all genres. This workshop will be based around practical exercises aimed at developing, strengthening and maintaining good breath management.

Judy Bellingham was previously Associate Professor of Voice at Otago University and is an internationally recognised vocal clinician. Judy has given papers at a number of overseas conferences, and has worked with choirs in Australia, Taiwan, America, Ireland and England. She 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. Judy now teaches voice in her busy private studio and presents vocal and choral workshops throughout the country. She has been a frequent adjudicator for The Big Sing, both regionally and nationally.