Anon. Vocal Ensemble
Christopher Leach
Tenor
Co-Founder of Anon.
Michael Leach
Bass
Director of Anon.
Anon. is a mixed voice ensemble with a membership that varies depending on the style, period and demands of the coming repertoire.
Michael has been involved in choral groups from an early age. After finishing Secondary School he joined with his brother Chris to form the Sings Harry Vocal Ensemble of which he was a member until April 1996. In October 1996 they repeated the process and formed Anon. Amongst his other choral experiences he was a member of the Choir of Wellington Cathedral for eleven and a half years and sang with the Sacred Heart Cathedral Choir in 2001.
He has directed Anon. in concerts since 1996
Chris is the co-founder of Anon. and is responsible for all non-concert engagements, such as performing at official wreathlayings at the National War Memorial in Wellington. His extensive choral singing experience ranges from sacred choirs such as the Wellington Cathedral Choir to secular groups including the acclaimed Sings Harry Vocal Ensemble. Chris formerly studied at the Wellington Conservatorium of Music and has appeared with various groups as a soloist and ensemble performer. In May 2002 Chris created the roles of Kelly, the male lead in the new New Zealand opera The Death of Venus by Ivan Bootham and of Paul Lecuse in John Drummond's A Beleagured City to critical acclaim. In May 2003 he created the role of 'George' in Dorothy Buchannan's 'It began with a pony' and re-interpreted the role of 'Jim' in John Drummond's 'Mr Polly at the Potwell Inn' once more to widespread critical aclaim.
Peter’s musical life properly began at the tender age of 8 when a well-retired Diny Schramm took him under her wing – duets on the Bechsteins are a wonderful memory. His piano playing skills are, sadly, long-gone however singing now dominates his spare time. Peter began singing at Wellington Cathedral as a treble at the age of 10. He sang with the NZ National Youth Choir for 10 years, was a founding member of The Tudor Consort as well as Tower Voices New Zealand and occasionally sings with Baroque Voices plus other groups around Wellington.
Peter first sang with Anon. in 1997, and has been a regular member since 1999.
Chris came to singing later in life, after moving from Christchurch and discovering that Sacred Heart Cathedral had no orchestra, and therefore no need of a timpanist. The story would pretty much have ended there had he not been invited to bolster the ranks of Tudor Consort for their 2011 concert celebrating the famous 40-part motet "Spem in Alium" by Thomas Tallis, and since then he has sung with Tudor Consort, Nota Bene & the Orpheus Choir, with Anon being the latest, rather humbling, foray into small ensemble singing.
An electrical engineer by profession, his secret ambition is to sing all 16 bass/baritone parts in "Spem" - the score so far is 14-2 against.
Peter Dyne
Tenor
Chris Callaghan
Baritone
Bio notes of members
Elizabeth Gray
Soprano
Sabrina Malcolm
Soprano / Alto
Elizabeth joined Anon. for their 'Tribute to the King's Singers' concert in June 2014.
She has sung with numerous choirs in New Zealand and hte United States, including the Renaissance Singers (directed by Guy Donaldson) and The Virginia Consort (virginiaconsort.org).
Sabrina is a past member of the New Zealand National Youth Choir, The Cecilian Singers, the Choir of Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, and Cantoris, and a current or occasional member of The Tudor Consort, Nota Bene, and Baroque Voices. She is a designer and illustrator by training, and a second stint at university in recent years has led to work as a children’s book illustrator and writer.
Sabrina first sang with Anon. in 1999 and has been a regular member since then
Michael Fletcher
Baritone / Bass & Accompanist
Rebecca Woodmore
Soprano / Alto
Michael is the Director of Music and Organist at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Wellington.
He first sang with, and accompanied Anon. in January 1998 and has featured in more than 10 concerts since.
Michael rejoined Anon. on a full-time basis for the August 2014 concert, 'A Tribute to the King's Singers'.
Rebecca Woodmore was born into a family of musicians and, after spending her early years wanting to be the next Gillian Weir, turned her focus to singing, where her true love lies. She studied music at Otago University (Dunedin) and Massey University (Wellington). She was told that you do not choose to do music - music chooses you and, after attempting to relegate music to the status of a hobby, she can truly vouch for this piece of wisdom! Rebecca recently returned from a stint in Brussels, Belgium, where she proudly flew the NZ flag as part of diplomatic family abroad, as well as furthering her own studies in vocal performance. Before leaving New Zealand her performances included; Phoebe in Yeoman of the Guard, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and the Fairy Queen in Iolanthe. During her time in Belgium she undertook several solo recitals and sang at the opening of the 2011 Brussels International Film Festival. She was asked to perform at the Menin Gate during Anzac Day celebrations - as well as singing in the middle of many wind blown fields for commemorative services! A huge fan of choral music, she happily returned to the ranks of the St Paul's Cathedral choir on her return to Wellington.
Rebecca joined Anon for their September 2013 concert and has seen become a core member of the Group..
We're excited to announce that we are about to have a new Soprano singing with us for our next concert, 'Call to Remembrance'. More to follow soon!
To be Announced!
Soprano