Who We Are
GALS is a non-auditioned rainbow community choir based in Auckland. Going strong since 1992, it was the first-established gay and lesbian choir in New Zealand. We celebrated 25 years in 2017.
We generally hold two concerts per year in June and November. We also participate at rainbow community events such as Auckland Pride month and World Aids Day. We are members of the New Zealand Choral Federation, and participate in combined choral events like "Singfest".
This year GALS represented Auckland at Australasia's 2019 Out & Loud choral festival in Canberra - we had the honour of hosting this event in 2010 and 2016. Our most distant travels took us to Dublin in 2014, for the European "Various Voices" Festival. Members have also attended the 4-yearly American LGBTIQ, "GALA Choruses Festival"
MUSICAL DIRECTORS: Nick Forbes joined us as Musical Director in 2016, and we are delighted that Giancarlo Lisi joins us as assistant MD in 2018. We thank Gracie Francis for the work she did with us in 2017 and wish her well for her scholarship in the USA!
Meet our Music Director
Nick Forbes
In March 2016, Nick Forbes took over as Musical Director of GALS.
Nick, one of New Zealand's most versatile young performers, teaches music at Rangitoto College where he conducts the school's award winning choir The Fundamentals. He also works as a conductor, singer and accompanist throughout Auckland. He began organ lessons as a chorister at Christchurch Cathedral and was organ scholar of Christ's College before spending a year as a music teacher at Canterbury Cathedral in the UK. Returning to New Zealand, he was appointed Director of Music at College House and sub-organist of Christchurch Cathedral and subsequently moved to Auckland, where he completed a music degree at Auckland University, specialising in organ and historic keyboard with John Wells and James Tibbles and conducting with Dr Karen Grylls.
Nick has been a music teacher and organist at King’s College, where he conducted that school’s award-winning choir, All the King’s Men. Currently, he is the Assistant Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Auckland and the Musical Director of the North Shore Chorale. A former member of the National Youth Choir, Nicholas sings in the national chamber choir Voices New Zealand and is a member of Voices of the Age of Discovery.
Nick has conducted the Auckland University Chamber Choir in concert at the Auckland Festival, as well as directing several university operas, including Britten's Albert Herring and Dorothy Buchanan's Miss Brill. From 2010–2012 he was the organ scholar and later assistant conductor of the Auckland chamber choir Musica Sacra and has been active as a repetiteur with NBR New Zealand Opera and Opera Factory. For several years, he directed the Coca-Cola Choir at the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park. He has also been an active participant in the Symphony Australia Conductor Training Programme.