Sam Madden grew up in Dunedin and studied at Otago Boys’ High School

Whilst at school Sam enjoyed many other musical opportunities such as the playing the bagpipes and also the timpani and percussion in various musical ensembles.

Sam is now a second year student at the University of Otago, studying a double degree in classical singing and computer science. He has continued his singing education at University under the tuition of Judy Bellingham. He has joined a number of singing ensembles such as the Capping Sextet and joined the New Zealand Youth choir in 2013 and hopes to continue both of these during his time studying.

In 2014 Sam also played the part of Monostatos in the Otago University production of Die Zauberflöte. He is thoroughly enjoying the opportunities he has been presented with and looks forward to continuing his education over the next few years.

Philip was a member of the highly successfully NZ Youth Choir 1997-1999 and joined Voices as a regular member in 2005. He sings regularly with other groups in Wellington: Tudor Consort, Baroque Voices and has sung Tenor soloist for chamber opera, oratorio and ensemble concerts.

Lachlan studied at the University of Auckland, completing his BMus in Performance Voice at the University of Auckland studying with Dr. Morag Atchison, his Honours Degree in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy with Dr. Karen Grylls gaining First Class Honours, and is currently working towards a Masters of Music in Voice under Dr. Te Oti Rakena.  Lachlan also studied at The Choral Music Institute at Oxford University under Dr. James Jordan and Dr. James Whitbourn.

He is a member of Voices NZ Chamber Choir and the Freemasons NZ Opera Chorus and is also an alumni of the NZ Secondary Students Choir, NZ Youth Choir and the UoA Chamber Choir.  He holds a full time position at Saint Kentigern College as Director of Choirs where he conducts the multi-award winning choirs Kentoris and Menasing.  He is also the Musical Director and Conductor of the Auckland Youth Choir.  Lachlan is in regular demand in NZ and abroad as a tenor soloist, conductor, teacher, adjudicator and clinician.

Jack Timings is based in Auckland and works as an industrial process engineer. Jack has been a member of Voices New Zealand since 2016, and has been involved in a number of national and international tours with the choir during this time. He has also been a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir (tenor section lead & choir leader), Auckland Chamber Choir, the St Patrick’s Vocal Ensemble, and Cappella vocal ensemble. Jack also currently sings with the Sitting Room Singers in Auckland. Recently Jack completed his LTCL diploma in classical singing.

Phillip was a member of the 1999 New Zealand Youth Choir that won the “Choir Of The World” competition in Llangollen, Wales. He studied Music, English and Theatre at Victoria University, Wellington. He has performed regularly with Baroque Voices, The Tudor Consort and Voices New Zealand, as well as appearing as a soloist in performances of major Early Music works.

From 2003 to 2010, Phillip lived in Taiwan where he studied Chinese. While living in Taipei, he was a member of the Taipei Philharmonic Chamber Choir, directed by Dirk DuHei. He also sang a lot of karaoke.

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 originally from Alexandra and studied Performance Voice and Physics at the University of Otago. He is a previous member of the NZ Youth Choir and has sung with Voices NZ since 2009. Brendon lives in Auckland where he works as an Acoustic Consultant for Marshall Day Acoustics.

Megan is from Wellington.

She was in the New Zealand Youth Choir from 1997-1999.

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.