Our Board
Our Board of Trustees comprises prominent members of the Wellington music sector.
Sarah Chesney
Board member
Sarah Chesney has a strong background in the arts and education sectors. Most recently, she has worked at the Tertiary Education Commission, Victoria University of Wellington and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In her work with the NZSO, Sarah has collaborated with other national arts organisations, and she currently advises on research quality in New Zealand tertiary institutions for the Tertiary Education Commission. Sarah’s own research and teaching centres on the intersections between music, politics and cultural identity. As a freelance writer for various arts organisations, Sarah enjoys the challenge of providing material that is accessible and relevant to classical music newcomers and aficionados alike. Sarah studied musicology and clarinet at the New Zealand School of Music and the University of Oxford.
Catherine Cradwick
Board member
Catherine Cradwick is a communications professional with extensive experience in creating content, writing and editing for digital and print publication. She currently works as International Content Editor for Victoria University of Wellington and previously as Content Editor for the 2018 New Zealand Festival. Catherine has a strong background in the arts, in events and publishing. She worked at Te Papa Press in Wellington and for more than 10 years in Melbourne for leading publishers and in collaboration with prestigious arts institutions, including Melbourne University Publishing, Hardie Grant Books, the National Gallery of Victoria, State Library of Victoria and Heide Museum of Modern Art. Catherine is a keen musician, and studied Music and English Literature at Victoria University of Wellington.
Demi Heath
Board member
Demi studied in the UK and worked in the photographic publishing industry before moving to New Zealand in 2015. She founded Photival, the Wellington photography festival, in 2016 having seen the opportunity and need for a photography festival in the creative capital. Demi directs the festival alongside working at Te Papa as Manager of memberships, where she has also been since 2016. She has a strong background in the arts, events, organisation and management.
Ken Ichinose
Board member
Cellist Ken Ichinose is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, having studied with Paul Watkins. He has performed numerous solo and chamber music recitals across Europe including venues in the UK, Italy, Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Switzerland, as well as the USA and New Zealand. Ken was a founding member of the Galitzin String Quartet with whom he performed for ten years, building an extensive repertoire and winning numerous awards and prizes in England and abroad. The quartet were first prize winners at the 2007 Charles Hennen Competition in Holland. Ken is also an experienced orchestral musician, having performed extensively with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields in the UK and abroad. Ken was appointed Associate Principal Cello of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in October 2014 and is also currently a member of Kiwa String Quartet and the contemporary music ensemble Stroma.
Michelle Lewis
Board member, Secretary
Michelle Lewis has been a trustee on Stroma’s board since 2014 and has also previously worked as Stroma’s Ensemble Manager. She has 15 years of experience in arts management both in the UK and New Zealand, including with top arts organisations such as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Royal New Zealand Ballet, where she is currently Artistic Planning Manager. Michelle’s passion is in bringing quality artistic performances to the public. She has a particular interest in contemporary music and her final dissertation for her Bachelor’s Degree in Music was focused on Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. Michelle continues to enjoy participating in the development of Stroma to ensure future audiences can enjoy a world-class contemporary music group based in Aotearoa.
