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.
With a love of singing choral and early music, Andrea was in the New Zealand National Youth Choir from 1985 to 1993 and then again in 1996. She has sung with Voices New Zealand since 1996 and also sang with the World Youth Choir twice in her younger days. Andrea also sings with The Tudor Consort and Baroque Voices in Wellington.
After working in the arts and adult education and a stint as a stay-at-home-parent, Andrea is now re-training to be a pre-school teacher.
Sponsored by Fay Pankhurst (2019, 2020, 2021)
Victoria’s musical training began in early childhood on the piano and cello, and then in a singing capacity, through her involvement in church and school choirs. She has been actively involved in the NZ choral and chamber music scenes for approximately 20 years and has performed with many groups as a chorister and a soloist. She was a member of the Auckland University Chamber Choir from 2001-2012 and the NZ Youth Choir from 2001-2004, touring with them both nationally and internationally.
Victoria has been a member of Voices NZ Chamber Choir since 2006 and is a current member of the St Matthews in the City Vocal Quartet with whom she performs on a weekly basis. In addition to singing roles, she is also an artist, mother and independent midwife.
Sponsored by
Ron & Lynn Holbrook
Shona McIntyre-Bull has been a member of Voices NZ since 1999. She was a founding member of the NZ National Youth Choir, and sang with the choir from 1979 – 1984. She was a member of New Zealand Singers which performed in 1994. Shona holds a BA in History and an Exec Dip Mus in singing. Shona trained as a primary school teacher. From 1989 – 2000 she was Music Advisor to schools in the Auckland region, and then took up a post as Lecturer in Music Education at the Auckland College of Education.
Since 2006, Shona has been a teacher at Diocesan School for Girls, holding various positions. Currently she teaches in the Learning Support programme and is also the Director of the schools Choral Programme. Of the 7 choirs in the school, Shona conducts the award winning Year 9-10 Bella Cantoris choir, along with the school’s èlite choir: St Cecilia Singers, which currently enjoys the position of being one of the top three secondary school female-voice choirs in the country.
Shona sings with a number of local Auckland choirs and small ensemble groups.
Pepe Becker, well-known for her vocal purity and flexibility, began her musical training in Nelson as a Cathedral Choir chorister, pianist and oboist. Completing a BMus (in Composition) at Wellington’s Victoria University in 1987, she then studied (baroque) singing with Jessica Cash in London, and at The Hague’s Koninklijk Conservatorium, 1991-1993. She has sung professionally with a number of early music groups in Europe; has been a soloist alongside renowned international singers such as Emma Kirkby and Andreas Scholl, and continues to appear regularly as soprano soloist with chamber groups, choirs and orchestras throughout New Zealand.
As well as being a member of Voices NZ Chamber Choir since 1999, Pepe directs her own vocal ensemble, Baroque Voices (founded in 1994), which is reputed for innovative performances of both early and contemporary music. Pepe is a recording artist for Radio NZ Concert; has featured as a soloist on several commercial CDs; has released two duet CDs, “Rustic Revelry” (2006) and “Love’s Nature” (2011); has taught Musicianship at the NZSM; composes music; teaches piano, theory and singing, and also practises and teaches karate and astrology.
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Jane is from Wellington.
Fiona is from Auckland.
Susan began her musical training in Christchurch, singing and playing the piano, violin and clarinet. Her professional singing career has spanned over 30 years. She has performed as a soprano soloist for many choirs and orchestras in New Zealand and overseas and as an opera singer here and in Australia.
As a chorister she has sung in many choirs including the New Zealand National Youth Choir, the Jubilate Singers and the Queensland University Chamber Singers. Susan sang with Voices NZ from 2001-2003, and has returned to the choir in 2014.
Susan completed a BA in music at Canterbury University and a Dip Mus and BMus in Voice at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She has taught voice, and other instruments, both privately and at schools, in New Zealand and Australia.
Susan is currently an Itinerant Teacher of Voice at Burnside High School. As a conductor she has had national success with all her Burnside choirs, winning the Platinum award at the NZ Choral Federation Big Sing Finale three times as well as receiving many Gold awards. She also conducts the Jubilate Singers and the University of Canterbury Chamber Choir, Consortia.
Susan was a NZ Youth Choir member 1985-2000.
Rachel Alexander, MMus (Hons), GradDipTchg (Secondary), BA
Rachel performs regularly, both as a soloist and in choirs around Auckland and New Zealand. She was a member of NZYC and has sung with the New Zealand Opera Chorus from 2005-2014. Rachel has been a member of Voices NZ since 2010. Rachel teaches both itinerant voice and classroom Music at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland. She is the director of their Year 7 & 8 Choir, Senior Choir, co-director and vocal consultant to the St Cecilia Singers and also directs two Handbell Choirs. Rachel is also Assistant Director (vocal) of the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir. Rachel studied at the University of Auckland and completed her Master of Music in Vocal Performance.
Natasha was born and raised in Auckland, and is of Maori and European heritage. She has a BMus(Hons) majoring in classical vocal performance from the University of Auckland. Natasha made her professional debut with New Zealand Opera, as a member of the company for their touring production of The Mikado and was involved in workshops of Tim Finn’s upcoming opera, Star Navigator, in the role of Purea. Natasha has also performed internationally with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra as the soprano soloist in their Spanish Baroque concert series. Natasha is a member of the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation’s mentoring programme. Natasha is also an alumni of the New Zealand Youth Choir.
