Dr Karen Grylls, of Auckland, CNZM, for services to choral music
Dr Karen Grylls has been the Artistic Director of Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand since 1989 and was Musical Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir from 1989 to 2011. As Kaitiaki of Te Whānau Wehi and Waka Huia, she brought Māori music to the forefront of choral performance in New Zealand. She is founding director and Conductor Emerita of the University of Auckland Chamber Choir. She established the University’s postgraduate choral conducting programmes. She is co-Artistic Director of the New Zealand Children’s Choral Academy. She was a Board member of the International Federation of Choral Music and is a Founding Board member of the New Zealand Choral Federation. Dr Grylls has been a presenter, artistic panellist and adjudicator at choral competitions and world symposiums for choral music in New Zealand.