2020 Season

Ann Whitehouse

I learnt to sing on my mother's knee and have been singing ever since! In school in Wales I sang in small and large choirs in the eisteddfod. As soon as I left school I joined a choral society and have always been a member of one choir or another. I joined Auckland Choral in 2006 and have been on the management committee for the last 2 years. Choral singing has given me opportunities to make and keep wonderful friends, to travel, to see magnificent buildings, to hear all the major works and many new compositions, and to be part of a fabulous music making machine, always striving to improve. I have sung Handel's Messiah in 4 continents, in 2016 clocked up my 70th Messiah, and I still love it. I am also a semi retired speech language therapist and enjoy spending time with my 5 grandchildren.

Jim Allardyce

Jim Allardyce here from Whangarei. Commuting to Auckland for work, down on a Tuesday and back on a Friday, has opened up a new side to my social calendar. Rehearsals at the choir have become my weekly highlight forming a natural part of my week. Joining only this year, I remember going for my first visit to "check it all out" - I sat at the back amazed at the choir sight-reading Mendelssohn in German (as it was their first reading and performance of the piece). Very soon I was in the thick of it - rolling my r's in Mendelssohn's tongue with the other singers in my bass one section. My inaugural concert in the Auckland Town Hall was unforgettable as the choir was stupendous.

My day job is highly motivating, as a health and safety professional.  Working throughout a range of industries spanning 25 years I continue to provide coaching to ensure people take ownership for managing risk. My daily priority is sustaining zero harm and I do this by ensuring safe work methods and promoting a great safety culture. 

Marion Hammond

Marion has been a member of Auckland Choral since 2008 and has recently become both a trustee and the Treasurer of the Foundation. She is responsible for all the financial transactions undertaken by the Foundation and prepares the year end accounts and reporting requirements required by the Charities Services. She also works closely with the Auckland Foundation with whom we have a partnership and together are working hard to fund choral singing in Auckland and New Zealand.
Professionally working as an accountant for a property management firm Marion also utilises her skills as Treasurer for the Auckland Dragon Boat Association, a role she has held for over nine years. Her background also includes volunteering for Amateur Theatre Companies in production and management roles which have furthered her knowledge of voluntary organisations.