OUR PEOPLE
Susan Densem
Music Director and Conductor
Susan is conductor, singer and multi-instrumentalist. She began her professional singing career in 1986 with Canterbury Opera and has performed with Queensland Opera and New Zealand Opera. Susan has sung as a soloist for many choral societies within New Zealand and Australia, touring extensively overseas with a number of ensembles. After completing her music degree […]
Brent Stewart
Assistant Director & Accompanist
Brent Stewart is currently Orpheus Choir Wellington’s Music Director, Orchestra Wellington’s Principal Percussionist, and NZSSC’s Assistant Director. On the side, Brent also serves as NZSO’s director of filming. Brent was HoD Music at Wellington East Girls’ College from 2010-2019 and Music Director of the Hutt Valley Orchestra from 2007-2017. Coming up, Brent will be conducting […]
Benjamin Madden
Assistant Director & Vocal Consultant
Benjamin Madden is a proudly born-and-bred Dunedin tenor trained by Pat Scally-Richardson and Judy Bellingham. Since finishing vocal study at the University of Otago, Benjamin has been working as a freelance singer, a choral director and private singing tutor in Dunedin. Ben currently teaches singing and directs choirs for Otago Boys’ High School and Otago […]
Emma Blood-Mouat
Student Welfare Manager
As an occupational therapist for over 30 years, Emma has been privileged to walk alongside many rangatahi in their rehabilitation from serious injuries as well as in her work in the education system (primary, secondary, and tertiary). This has included considerable focus on overall wellbeing and mental health. Emma currently operates her private practice in […]
Dr Karen Grylls
Artistic Director
Dr Karen Grylls was appointed Musical Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir in 1989. She founded Voices New Zealand in March 1998, and is now Artistic Director of both these national choirs.
Arne Herrmann
Chief Executive
Taking up the role as Chief Executive of Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand in May 2016, Arne has worked for over 20 years in Arts and Festival Management in New Zealand. He held senior management positions at New Zealand Festival, Auckland Arts Festival, and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and the contemporary dance company The Human Garden.
Tahlia Griffis
Associate Producer & Marketing
Tahlia is a composer from Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington. She holds a Bachelor of Music in instrumental/vocal composition, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Practice, where she specialised in film scoring. Tahlia has worked on local projects such as BBC’s The Luminaries, Blue Moon, Loading Docs He Hekenga Tuhura and Haka Haha, and the TVNZ short series Little […]
BOARD
For more information on the Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand trustees, please visit choirs.nz