Steven Rapana

A New Zealander of Maori and Samoan extraction, Steven is best known for his arrangements and compositions of Pacific choral music. Tracing his family lineage back to his ancestral lands of the Hokianga in the north of Aotearoa, as well as to the Samoan villages of Sāfune and Sāmauga in Savai'i, and Vailoa (Aleipata) in Upolu, he was greatly influenced by the customs and music of both cultures. In particular his childhood involvement in traditional Samoan church life, through the insistence of his maternal grandparents, meant that music, both religious and cultural, was always a feature of his upbringing.

A graduate of the University of Auckland in vocal performance and choral studies, Steven has arranged and composed music for many notable national choirs including the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir and the New Zealand Youth Choir. He currently works as a singing teacher, choral director, language coach (phonology and languages for singers), a professional singer, arranger, and composer in and around New Zealand. 

Sarah McNabb

Sarah McNabb, Choir Leader of Everybody Sings - Mt Eden.

Sarah has been singing in choirs since she was 8 years old, and loves bringing people together to sing in harmony. She directs choirs at Macleans College in East Auckland and has been director of the Howick Choir since its founding in 2017. Sarah has a degree in Music Education and Choral Direction from Butler University in the US.  She also directs the Macleans College Chorale from East Auckland.

Jo Kelsey

Originally from the UK, Jo trained as a classical singer and pianist from a young age. After gaining a BMus (Hons) in Vocal Performance and Diploma in Music Teaching from The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, London, she built a steady career as a music teacher, recording artist and live performer (recording for 'British Soul Standard', 'Guitar Hero' & many TV/advertising companies, and performing live in productions of 'Dirty Dancing', and for high profile corporate events across the UK). Jo also released 3 EP's and toured Europe several times as an original artist during this time. As a music teacher, she has spent the last 10 years teaching both privately and for a variety of music academies, leading choirs (London International Schools, Moorfields Hospital Choir, Voices on The Avenue, New Zealand Girls Choir) and arranging and leading backing vocal sessions for numerous recording artists.

Rose Treadwell

Rose Treadwell, Choir Leader of Everybody Sings - Tauranga.

Rose comes from a classical music background, with a BMus in Musicology, and has built upon this experience to develop her abilities as a choral conductor and vocal tutor. Rose grew up singing in womens' choir 'Sister Shout' on Waiheke Island and Waiheke High School's choir 'Canto Isola', before eventually directing the high school choir herself. 'Canto Isola' performed at The Big Sing in Auckland in 2016. Having completed Grade 8 in both piano performance and music theory, Rose also teaches piano and occasionally ukulele, although her primary instrument is voice. Before re-locating to Mount Maunganui, Rose balanced her classical education with a love of performing in Auckland-based duo ROOK, at weddings, corporate events and various bars and pubs in the area. ROOK specialize in easy-listening jazzed-up versions of well-loved songs. Now based in the Bay of Plenty, she currently works in an arts non-profit, Creative Bay of Plenty, and is passionate about bringing as much arts and culture to Tauranga as possible.

 REBECCA STARR

Rebecca’s musical background started at school, playing piano and violin, and singing in the school musicals and choirs.  Her musical interests continued while she was taking a medical degree, becoming a doctor and a mother of 3 lovely boys. The last 15 years have been spent on the beautiful Pohutukawa Coast. 

Seven years ago, Rebecca became an enthusiastic member of Stonefields Choir and the Chamber Choir, both run by Kate Bell.  Over the last two years,  she has taken the plunge and started training to become a choir leader. Now that her parenting commitments are slowing down, she is very excited to be taking up the role as leader of the Pohutukawa Coast Choir this year. 

Esther Wu

Esther is in the final year of her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Auckland. She began learning the piano at the age of six after hearing, sobbing, and concurrently interpretive dancing to Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata. Musicking has since been a vital part in the way Esther engages with and gives back to her community. 

She has arranged music for various high school and community ensembles, accompanied school choirs and instrumental music exams, enjoyed singing at rest homes with her musical peers, and loves playing in the cello section of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Esther has also performed the Grieg Piano Concerto with the ASO in a packed Auckland Town Hall. She currently teaches the piano and the cello at Remuera Music School and has been conducting the String Ensemble at Epsom Girls’ Grammar School since 2019.