Originally from Auckland Manase is currently studying at The University of Auckland, pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Classical Performance Voice. Manase is a member of Voices NZ Chamber Choir and the Freemasons NZ Opera chorus and is also alumni of Auckland Chamber Choir and NZ Youth Choir. He is regularly in demand as a soloist for various public and private functions throughout NZ. Ensemble and choir singing are a passion of Manases’, however he hopes to one day move into the realm of opera and focus on his solo singing development.

Sponsored by:

David Lovell (2017-2019)

Ken Trass was a member of the 1999 TOWER New Zealand Youth Choir that won the “Choir Of The World” competition in Llangollen, Wales.

He has also performed regularly with the Tudor Consort, the professional group Inspirare as well as the V8 vocal ensemble & Voices New Zealand.

By day Ken is a passionate educator, operational consultant and holds a regulatory role at the New Zealand Law Society. His spare time is full of kid wrangling, cooking and painting the odd portrait.

Brendon is a Dunedin based Tenor. He studied performance voice and physics at Otago University. He has performed as a soloist in oratorio throughout NZ, including several performances with the Handel Consort and Quire, and performed Berio’s ‘Synfonia’ with the NZSO as part of the V8 Vocal Ensemble in 2011.
During a five year stint in London he sang as a dep with the Ely Cathedral Choir and several parish choirs in London. Brendon is a former member of the NZ Youth Choir and NZ Secondary Students Choir. He combines his love of music and knowledge of physics working as an acoustic consultant for Marshall Day Acoustics.

Megan Hurnard is a seasoned alto and long-standing member of Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, having sung with the ensemble since 1999. With a deep love for choral music and ensemble performance, she has participated in numerous national and international tours, festivals, and high-profile concert events. Megan’s singing experience also includes time with The Tudor Consort, where she developed a strong foundation in early music, and Sings Harry Vocal Ensemble, known for its distinctive New Zealand repertoire and close harmony work. Her commitment to vocal excellence, blend, and musical expression has made her a valued contributor across a wide range of choral projects.

Outside of her musical life, Megan brings significant leadership experience from New Zealand’s public sector. She joined EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) in July 2024, where she leads work at the intersection of digital, data, and customer strategy. Megan is known for driving cross-functional collaboration, using evidence and insights to inform strategic decisions, and delivering outcomes that are centred on user needs and public value.

Before joining EECA, Megan served as General Manager, Data, Evidence and Insights at the Ministry for the Environment, and held senior roles at New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, contributing to major programmes in digital transformation, customer experience, and strategic operations.

Megan’s unique blend of artistic and analytical disciplines reflects her passion for both creativity and impact—whether on stage or in the delivery of public-good initiatives.

Jessica Wells joined Voices NZ in 2017. She sang in the New Zealand Youth Choir from 2000 until 2005.

Jessica began her choral career in Epsom Girls’ Grammar School’s choir, Opus, under David Hamilton. Joining on the promise of a trip to Hawaii, she was fully addicted to choral singing before the tour began.

Since then, Jessica has sung in the University Singers, New London Singers, University Cathedral Choir (Cape Town, South Africa), and Musica Sacra. She currently sings with Viva Voce and the Auckland branch of the Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus.

For a day job, Jessica teaches class music at Gladstone Primary School using the Kodaly approach.

Grace is a graduate of the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelor of Music (Honours), received with First Class Honours in 2016.

Grace is passionate about choral singing and as a member of Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, she has performed in multiple projects with the New Zealand String Quartet and the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra.

Grace teaches singing privately and works for Student Horizons, as the Head of Music Tours – New Zealand. Grace also has her dipABRSM in singing and performs regularly as a soloist throughout the country.

Christine’s deep-rooted passion for choral music stems from her upbringing – with a conductor father and singer mother, it’s in her DNA. She is a foundation member of Voices NZ chamber choir and has been a member of the ensemble for over 25 years, touring with the choir to Europe, the UK, Singapore and Australia. Other choral experience includes performing with the NZ National Youth Choir, London Symphony Chorus, Auckland Opera Chorus, The Tudor Consort and Inspirare.

Christine has an LTCL diploma in singing, a BA in Languages and Music, and studied conducting at Auckland University with Dr Karen Grylls and Uwe Grodd. As well as founding Nota Bene chamber choir in 2004, she formed the Wellington Young Voices children’s choir in 2012.

Christine has been Chief Executive of the NZ Choral Federation since 2018. Prior to going into arts management, Christine enjoyed an 18-year broadcasting career with RNZ Concert, including hosting the first year of the network’s Upbeat music news programme.

Thomas is originally from Christchurch and lives in Auckland.

He is a primary school teacher.

Katherine grew up in Masterton and has always had a love of Singing. She was a foundation member of the NZ Secondary Students Choir in 1986 and then went on to join National Youth Choir in 1989. Katherine was lucky enough to travel with the World Youth Choir to South America and Quebec. She joined Voices NZ in 1998 when it was formed and went on the first tour to Bilbao, Spain.

Katherine Lives in Wellington and enjoys singing Early Music with Baroque Voices. She is a Secondary School Music Teacher and Conducts two school choirs.

Helen Acheson (mezzo soprano) studied classical voice at the University of Auckland and the University of Otago, graduating in 2012 with a BMus Hons (first class) in Performance Music. Helen is a full-time itinerant singing and classroom music teacher, conductor, and vocal coach for shows and range of choirs. She has been a member of Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, since 2010 sings in a professional vocal quartet, and performs around the country on a regular basis as a soloist. Helen has a particular interest in contemporary repertoire and has premiered works by a number of New Zealand composers including roles in Eve de Castro Robinson’s opera Len Lye, and Chris Adams’s River Lavalle.