Let's Get Singing: Mentoring for teachers

Maria Winder, MNZM is NZCF's Children's Outreach Coordinator and an NZCF Singing Matters Mentor. She teaches Kodaly-inspired pre-school music classes in Auckland and is a former primary school music specialist teacher and district music adviser (Wellington and Auckland). Maria is an active choral singer and experienced choral conductor. She co-authored 'Hear Our Voices' (NZCF), the NZ Ukulele Handbook for Teachers and The Kiwileles Songbooks (NZUT 2007-2021).

Rachel Alexander Sutherland has extensive experience as a voice specialist, choral director and curriculum leader and performs regularly as a soloist and in choirs. She is Assistant Director and Vocal Consultant of NZSSC and has directed choirs at both the NZCF Big Sing and Kids Sing Festivals.

Maria Colvin is a choral and orchestral conductor, flautist, singer, and Director of Music at Waikato Diocesan School. She conducts Bel Suono and Cantiamo, has conducted Tron Songsters Children’s Choir for 6 years, and in 2023/2024 conducted the Hamilton Festival Chorus/Treble Chorus for performances at the Hamilton Arts Festival.

Rosemary Galton conducts the Nelson Youth Choir and teaches singing and violin at the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts. She aims to approach each student as an individual and tap into their passion to find what inspires them to succeed. She takes a holistic approach to the voice, and draws on the vocal pedagogy of teachers such as Janice Chapman (GSMD) and Jenevora Williams (The Thinking Voice). Rosemary works with children of all ages.

Melissa Absolum has been primary classroom teaching for many years and is currently Deputy Principal of a South Auckland primary school. She is an experienced choral leader and active choral singer and a member of the Governance Board of NZCF.

Maria Kapa (Ngati Rangitihi, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) has worked in a number of music settings, including the aboriginal performing arts center in Brisbane, singing teaching in high schools, and early childhood, primary, and intermediate music teaching. Maria is a trained Orff and Kodály specialist. She is committed to keeping her Māori language and culture alive and has composed numerous waiata to support this kaupapa. She currently teaches Year 0 - 8 music in a school.

Elise Bradley, MNZM is an award-winning conductor, and internationally respected educator, adjudicator and clinician. A former HOD Music at Westlake Girls' High School and former director of NZSSC, she has recently repatriated home to NZ after 14 1/2 years as the Artistic Director of the Toronto Children's Chorus. Since returning to NZ, Elise co-founded the NZ Children's Choral Academy and has completed a number of Kodaly Music Certificates for her return to the primary classroom. She also conducts a number of school and community choirs.

Megan Flint has an extensive background in education and music, as both a primary school teacher/leader and music specialist. She leads and presents NZCF's programme of Singing Matters workshops for primary and intermediate schools, and is the Artistic Advisor for NZCF's Children's Outreach project.

Roshan Tuivavalagi is a music educator based in Paeroa. She has worked for many years as a music specialist and has led a number of community and school-based singing programmes and festivals in the Hauraki region. Roshan is passionate about singing in the classroom.

Rachel Wilford has been teaching in the primary school sector for many years as a music specialist, choir director, and singing teacher. She is a conductor for the Northwest music festival and is music director of the Christchurch Primary schools' music festival. Rachel is an NZCF Singing Matters Mentor.

South Auckland based, Kriss Rapana has been a teacher for many years, both as a classroom teacher and as a music specialist. He also leads school kapahaka groups and choirs. Kriss is a foundation member of the Graduate Choir, NZ (2001) and often leads the choir when learning waiata-a-ringa.

Helen Willberg has been singing all her life, and presently sings in two choirs and directs a Youth Choir. She has been happily immersed in music education in her career which includes Senior Lecturer in Music to Primary and Early Childhood Teachers, and a number of publications. She is a Life member of MENZA and passionately advocates for better teacher training to bring life-giving music to every child, from birth to tertiary education.

Megan Ward is a multi-instrumentalist with long experience teaching group instrument classes and junior orchestras. She moved into singing in more recent years, initially to support instrument learning before coming to appreciate the joy of singing for its own sake. She is passionate about using music to support learning in all areas, from social and sensory to literacy and numeracy. 

Mary Cornish, MNZM has been teaching music and leading singing for over 20 years, and has conducted numerous festivals for children including including the New Zealand Ukulele Festival, helping thousands of children and their teachers start their journey in music. Mary co-authored Hear Our Voices (NZCF), the NZ Ukulele Handbook for Teachers, and the Kiwileles Songbooks, and she is a NZCF Singing Matters Mentor.

Anna Sedcole is a music educator, performer, and registered music therapist. She has undertaken research into supporting children with learning support needs in mainstream primary school education, and has worked to support students with communication needs including autism spectrum disorder. She currently works for Music for Life, and runs several community singing groups in Pōneke Wellington .

Madagascar-born and raised Lala Simpson is a Wellington NZ-based community song leader, song writer, singing workshop facilitator and singer who delights young and old alike with her passionate,  playful and joyful approach to singing  and her focus on community singing.

Joanne Stevens has been teaching music and leading primary and intermediate school choirs for over 20 years. She previously conducted the Taradale Schools Primary Schools' Singing Festival and is currently the specialist music teacher at Hereworth School, where as well as working with two choirs, she teaches classroom music and singing to all students from years 1-8.

Juliet Woller is a music educator, performer and composer. She is currently HOD Music at New Plymouth Girls' High School where her passion is choral music. She has directed both mixed and treble choirs for many years. As an educator and composer, Juliet understands both the joys and challenges of singing for young voices and is excited to use her skillset to support her colleagues around the motu.