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 (passed with distinction) 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 Apocalypse. Tahlia joined CANZ in 2023 as Assistant Producer to all four choirs and has since upgraded to Associate Producer & Marketing. In her spare time, she writes her own music and sings in choirs within Wellington.

tahlia@choirsnz.co.nz

Tausala (she/they) is a Samoan New Zealander (Utuali’i and North Shore, Auckland) who is passionate about creating beautiful and impactful music with NZYC. Tausala is a member of the Auckland Chamber Choir, and has been passionate about choirs since her inaugural performance at the Big Sing Finale as a part of Takapuna Grammar School Chorale. They have ten years of Classical Piano and five years of Classical Voice lessons under their belt. Tausala is currently training as a choral conductor through NZCF’s New Zealand Young Conductor Training programme, working as an intern with All Together Now. On the side, they work as a Dean at Diocesan School for Girls’ boarding house.

Kia ora rā! Ko Tess ahau, tētahi o ngā kaiwaiata i roto i te Rōpū Rangatahi Waiata o Aotearoa. My ancestral lineage descends from Europe and Jamaica, nā he tangata Pākehā, Tauiwi ahau ki te whenua nei. I grew up in Pōneke Wellington in a musical family. My mother is a violinist in New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and through her encouragement I started the pinao and picked up cello around 9, which I continued through University in a MusB. While at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka (Otago), I also completed a BA in reo Māori, kapa performing arts, linguistics, and English literature. In my final year, I chose classical voice as 2nd instrument under Anna Leese’s tutelage. She unlocked sounds I’d never thought I could make. Coming from an orchestral and chamber music background, this was quite exciting! I loved lessons, and with her support, joined NZYC for the 2023-2025 cycle. I’m now in Pōneke working in a bilingual Te Tiriti/Treaty and history education space.

Jemma is a soprano who calls both Wellington and Dunedin home. She is in her fourth year at Otago University studying a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in German. She also studies Classical Voice with Judy Bellingham. Jemma has performed with the Days Bay Opera, Musical Theatre Dunedin, Octagon Ensemble and Opera Otago. Jemma played the role of Hélène in Opera Otago’s production of ‘An Incomplete Education’ for the Dunedin Fringe Festival 2023.