2025 Adjudicators

Described as a mezzo-soprano with “warm lustre”, Kate has appeared as a soloist in New Zealand, Australia and throughout Europe. She has extensive experience in Oratorio, regularly performing with Choral Societies and ensembles throughout the country.  On the operatic stage, Kate has sung for New Zealand Opera, Auckland Opera Studio, Opera Queensland The Queensland Festival, OzOpera and English National Opera.  Kate teaches voice at Saint Kentigern College, Westlake Girls High School, Takapuna Grammar and Carmel College. She also runs a busy vocal studio from her home on the North Shore in Auckland. Kate is a vocal coach to a number of premier School choirs, Choral Societies and National Choirs. Her most notable awards include a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship to study in Austria and second and third placings in the NZ Mobil Song Quest. Kate holds a Master of Music (Dist.) from the University of Auckland, Post Graduate Diplomas in Opera and Voice from Griffith University, Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) from Victoria University and a Fellowship of the Trinity College, London (F.T.C.L).

Jane is a performer, singing coach and musical director. She has taught for over 30 years within Performing Arts with extensive experience in secondary school environments in Drama, Music and in Choral programmes. Professional work includes touring with Stetson Productions NZ tour of ‘Chess – the musical’ 1992, Harry Miller’s production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ NZ/Australian Tour 1994-95. In 2020 she was the Vocal Director for AMICI’s Production of ‘Mary Poppins’ as well as playing the Bird Woman, in 2021 she was Musical Director for StageIt’s production of ‘Chicago’, in 2022 Vocal Director for G&T’s concert version of ‘CHESS’. She was Vocal Director and played the role of Mrs Paroo in G&T’s concert version of ‘The Music Man’ at the Kiri Te Kanawa theatre in 2023. A highlight in Jane’s career has been singing with Auckland band Prima Swing Riot for many years. She is an accomplished pianist and accompanist. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science (nursing), Dip of Teaching and ATCL Singing. In 2019, Jane was the recipient of a Scroll of Honour Awarded by the Variety Artists Club NZ, recognising her contributions as a celebrated singer, musical theatre performer, musical director and vocal tutor. Jane works as a freelance vocal coach/singing teacher, music director and performer.

Emma is a well-known theatre and education practitioner in Aotearoa. Growing up in theatre Emma spent much of her life training, first as a voice student of Honor McKellar at Otago University before transferring and completing a Diploma in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) in Nelson, a Bachelor of Education (Primary) with a Post Grad Diploma in Music Education, and a Masters in Dance Education, both at Auckland University. Emma spent 15 years as a full-time educator before leaving in 2017 to create her own performing arts company StageAntics which offers training in all areas of theatre across Aotearoa.
Emma is the President of Musical Theatre,NZ, a Life Member and Past President of Drama NZ: the National Subject Association for Drama in Education, and is the Producer of the Junior Theatre Festival New Zealand. Emma has presented at numerous conferences nationally and internationally as well as being a faculty member of the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta (US), Sacramento (US), Birmingham(UK) and Australia.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Performance Violin from Massey University Conservatorium, Wellington, studying with Greg Squire and Dr. Donald Maurice, and also holds Advanced Diplomas from Trinity College of London, and the Associated Music Board of Australia. She earned her Master of Music Degree in Performance Violin in the United States studying with Dr. Burton Kaplan and served as a Graduate Assistant at New Jersey City University. As an educator Jennifer is Suzuki Method trained and certified and has attended Suzuki Conferences in New Zealand, Las Vegas, Texas and Tennessee participating in master classes and training with Cathy Lee, Edmund Sprunger, Terry Durbin, and Katie Lansdale among others.

Before moving to the USA in 2007 Jennifer was a freelance musician in New Zealand. She played concerts with Ray Charles, Rod Stewart, Il Divo, and Amici the Opera Band. She was a featured soloist with the Hawke’s Bay and Wellington Chamber Orchestras and played 1st violin with the Vector Wellington Orchestra, Wellington Chamber Orchestra, Hawke’s Bay Orchestra and the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra. As Concertmaster of the Massey University Chamber Orchestra and leader of the Massey String Quartet, Jennifer performed extensively in the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay areas. A highlight for this ensemble was playing for Viggo Mortensen’s Photographic Exhibit as part of the Lord of the Rings Movie Premier. During this time, Jennifer was also a research assistant to Dr. Donald Maurice and worked on his journal article (‘The Art of Vocal Fingering in String Playing’) in preparation for publication in the American String Teachers Journal.

In the USA, Jennifer was the Concertmaster of the New Jersey City University Orchestra and led the Baroque Chamber Ensemble in its opera productions. She was Assistant Principal Violin with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Second Violin with the Camerata Orchestra, First Violin with the New York Metro Chamber Orchestra and was a member of several chamber ensembles in the New York City area. After receiving her MMus, Jennifer became an Adjunct Professor of Music at NJCU and regularly freelanced and taught privately in the area. Jennifer also worked as research assistant to Dr. Michael Beckerman NYU, music scholar and author, on his book and documentary about music composed in the Terezin Concentration Camp during the Holocaust.

While living in Las Vegas (2010-2014), Jennifer played with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, LV Sinfonietta, Henderson Symphony Orchestra and Opera Las Vegas. She has performed with many Pop Stars including Yo Yo Ma, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Kelly Rowland, Natalie Cole, Nelly Furtardo, Cee Lo Green, Quincy Jones, Dave Koz, Celtic Woman, Gloria Estefan, Andrea Bocelli, Carol King, Ricky Martin, Jordin Sparks, Rita Moreno, and for the Latin Grammy Awards. She was a String Specialist for the Clark County School District and was on the faculty at Nevada School of The Arts. As the ‘high strings coach’ for the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic, she frequently was an adjudicator for student competitions in the region.

While living in Alabama Jennifer was a First Violinist with the Huntsville Symphony and was Principal 2nd Violin of the Orchestra Sul Ponticello, in addition to playing regularly as a Soloist, Concertmaster and First Violinist with different church orchestras and groups around the Huntsville area. Before moving to Alabama, Jennifer was in Texas for 2 years playing with the Temple Symphony, Waco Symphony, and Round Rock Orchestras, was employed as a string specialist and private teacher for the Killeen and Belton School Districts, and ran a very busy private teaching studio. When based in Clarksville, TN Jennifer did studio work, freelanced regularly in the greater Nashville area and performed with the Paducah Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster before moving back to New Zealand in 2023.

Jennifer now resides in Napier with her husband, who is a Low Brass Multi-Instrumentalist, and their fabulous 5 year old daughter. She runs a busy private teaching studio in addition to working as an Itinerant Violin Teacher, active freelance musician, and running a Wedding Music business serving the Hawke’s Bay Area.

Competitions played an important, formative part in Rosemary’s musical life. She first competed at the age of seven, both as a singer and a pianist, and then continued to do so for about the next twenty years! At Victoria University she focussed on piano performance and music history and analysis, and gained a B.Mus. Hons degree 1st class. She was awarded a Postgraduate Scholarship and went to King’s College, London, where she studied for a M.Mus. in Music Theory and Analysis. She also completed a Postgraduate Singing Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She taught singing at a London conservatoire and performed as a soloist in oratorios and gave recitals in England. Since returning to New Zealand she has enjoyed many years of teaching piano, singing and music theory, as well as making music with others. She is an Associate of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers and is a member of NEWZATS. She has both FTCL and LRSM diplomas in piano performance.

Josephine Carpenter is a classroom teacher who has worked as a speech and Drama teacher for over 40 years.
She currently teaches at a school in Hawkes Bay. She is also an Examiner for Speech NZ.
Josephine has been involved in local theatre as a director and has just completed acting in a local production.

Kaitlyn has been involved in the Arts since the age of 3. She has 15 years of classical RAD dance training and is fully qualified in NZAMD Modern Jazz and American Tap, training at Gillian Moore School of Dance. Kaitlyn has competed all over the country notably at PACANZ and NZAMD Scholarships with her Tap dancing. Kaitlyn then went on to study Stage and Screen Arts full time in Wellington (Te Auaha) gaining her a Diploma in Stage and Screen Arts and a Degree in Applied Arts (Performing Arts.) During her studies Kaitlyn performed in multiple shows at Wellington’s BATS theatre, Te Auaha’s House theatres, Whitireia Performance Centre, WOW and TVNZ’s ‘Mistress Mercy’. After study Kaitlyn went on to directing full school musical productions with Gobsmacked, along with choreographing local Musicals in Tauranga. Kaitlyn is now a Registered NZAMD Teacher and certified Acrobatic Arts instructor.