2019 Season

Colleen Elliott

Colleen Elliott joined Auckland Choral in 1999. She comes from a musical background starting with piano at aged 7 which also included being a foundation member of the Whangarei Childrens Choir formed by her Mother in the mid 1950’s. Colleen passed LTCL performers in piano but never completed it as the desire to sing became more the focus and formal vocal training commenced.

After marrying and raising 3 children over the next 2 decades, singing lessons ceased and all music was put aside until she heard Auckland Choral perform in 1997 at the opening of the newly refurbished Auckland Town Hall. This inspiring performance ultimately led to the courage to audition and acceptance as a singing member. Colleen loves learning the vast range of wonderful new works, the regular vocal coaching given every week, sharing her love of music with others and benefits significantly from the health benefits that singing offers. She has been actively involved as Membership Secretary for NZ Choral Federation for the past 4 years. Vivante Recording, a supporter of Auckland Choral is managed by her husband Larry who records most performances for archive purposes and has engineered two CD’s for Auckland Choral in past years.

Nigel High

Nigel grew up choral singing with the choirs of Kings School and Kings College in Auckland, but then took a break for the next 30 years while focusing on his career as a Consulting Engineer in Ottawa Canada where he moved with his wife in 1981. Later he joined a choir in Ottawa as a way of relieving the stresses of the daily grind, and found that he really enjoyed the challenge, stimulation, and therapy that choral singing provides. He sang with Coro Vivo Ottawa and the Ottawa Festival Chorus for many years, and part time with Auckland Choral since 2006 on his many visits back to New Zealand, before moving back to Auckland with his wife Ming, last year.  He sings as a Tenor 2.

He thoroughly enjoys the music and camaraderie of Auckland Choral, and the high standards demanded by the professional team headed up by Uwe Grod.  While not singing, he spends as much time as possible sailing on the waters of the Hauraki gulf, and since retiring is a keen traveler and cruiser.   

David Hamilton

David Hamilton has been singing with the choir since 1982, and is currently President of Auckland Choral. He is a music educator, composition tutor, choral conductor and adjudicator. He has been Deputy Music Director of Auckland Choral (1996-2011) and Composer-in-Residence with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (1999). In 2013 he was guest composer at the national choral event Sing Aotearoa, and in 2015 composer-in-residence at the NZ Singing School. He has won a number of international composer competitions (Italy, USA, UK, and Israel) and in 2014 “Wairua” for solo harp took 1st place in the NZ Harp Society’s competition. In 2016 “American Triptych” took 1st place in a competition for the Stockton Chorale (USA). In 2017 “Are We There Yet?” took 1st place in the Australia and NZ Viola Society composer’s competition, and “Cling to Me” was placed third in the 4th Komos Choral Composition Competition (Bologna, Italy). The choir has commissioned a number of works from him, most recently “Erebus” (2015), and in 2019 will perform “Homecoming – Te Hokinga Mai”. His choral music is widely performed, especially by school and community choirs, and is published in the UK, USA, and Finland. His website is: www.dbhmusic.co.nz