Board & Management

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is an autonomous Crown entity.

We are comprised of the Board, the Support Team, and The NZSO Foundation.

NZSO Board

Appointed by the Minister for Arts, Culture, and Heritage, the Board members bring a diverse array of artistic and business expertise. This experience is essential for governance and enables the NZSO to successfully reach its strategic goals.

Carmel Walsh Chair
Susannah Robinson
James Christmas

Edwin Read
Wilma Smith 
Claire Szabó
Kaine Thompson


NZSO Management Team

Kirsten Mason Acting Chief Executive

Orchestra Delivery

Jane Bulpin Director: Orchestra Delivery
Heikki Mohell Senior Manager: Operations
Rachel McLarin Senior Manager: Orchestra 
Hannah Sellars Assistant Orchestra Manager
Matilda Wickbom Orchestra Administrator
Steve Blennerhassett Production & Transport Manager
Kurt Gibson Stage Manager
Kelly Butler Travel & Tours Executive

Finance & Corporate Services

Grant McKenna Director: Finance & Corporate Services
Craig Thorne Senior Manager: Projects
Michelle Parry Senior Manager: People & Culture
Sharon Cochran Senior Manager: Finance & Business Services
Jessie Huang Principal Advisor: Finance
Kezia Rock Senior Payroll Officer

Commercial & Development

Michelle Rathbun Director: Commercial & Development
Carleen Ebbs Senior Manager: Development 
Chantal Woodfine Development Manager
Zac Johns Fundraising Executive
Marie-Claude Codsi Philanthropy & Partnerships Executive
Craig Child Marketing Manager
Tom Cardy Publicist
Sola Tuo Marketing Executive
Phoebe Tuxford Brand & Content Specialist 
Catherine Myhill Ticketing & Memberships Manager
Lily Mac Event Coordinator – Member Services
Graeme Browne Ticketing & Memberships Assistant

Artistic Planning

Anna Melville Artistic Planning Consultant
Claire Wackrow Consultant: Recordings and Commercial Ventures
Carolina Borges Producer: Commercial & Recording Programmes
Shona Jaunas Artistic Manager
Reuben Brown Artistic Administrator
Brendan Agnew Music Librarian
Karla Norton Associate Music Librarian
Grant Baker Artistic Coordinator & Assistant Music Librarian

Education & Community Engagement

Pascale Parenteau Senior Manager: Education & Community Engagement
Reuben Chin Education & Community Engagement Manager
Ellen Murfitt Education & Community Engagement Coordinator
Chris Lam Sam Animateur

Regional Representatives

Christine Hainstock ONZM South Island Representative

Student Ambassadors

Alisa Petrova University of Canterbury
Greta Rowan-Paul University of Otago


The NZSO Foundation Trustees

The NZSO Foundation is a charitable trust, established in 1996 as a separate entity from the NZSO. Through its Endowment Fund, the Foundation aims to help grow and develop the next generation of New Zealand musicians. 

Dame Patsy Reddy GNZM CVO QSO DStJ Chair
Chris Finlayson KC
Christine Hainstock ONZM
Dame Bronwen Holdsworth DNZM
Paul McArthur
Ross Steele
Daniel Wong


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Work with us

View our current vacancies and find out what it's like to work for the NZSO

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Meet the Players

Meet the musicians who bring the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra to life

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National Youth Orchestra

We are committed to the development of New Zealand’s young orchestral musicians

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