Our emphasis is on participation, inclusion and building our LGBTQI+ community. The choir is in good health with around 60 actve members.
The Glamaphones officially started in 2011, evolving out of the Homophones, a gay men's choir that began in 2007.
We sing for enjoyment and work hard to create wonderful music. We sing a range of music including; pop, classical, spirituals, world, choral, musical and jazz classics.
We sing from late January to mid-December typically taking a break in July. Two concerts are performed a year with various shorter performances sprinkled throughout i.e. Pride events, Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The Glamaphones Team
.PNG)
Mark Stamper (he/him)
Musical Director
Mark L. Stamper, a native of South Carolina, began his piano study at the age of three and eventually expanded his musical interests to include choral music. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Winthrop University in 1986 where he studied with Dr. Eugene Barban. In 1989, Mark was awarded a Master of Music degree with a concentration in Choral Conducting from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas where he was the Assistant Conductor of the Oratorio Chorus.
He has been awarded the Silver Medal at the Concours International de la Musique and the Best Performance of a Modern Work during the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in Boston.
Mark has served as Musical Director and Accompanist for many musical theatre productions and in 2019, Mark made his acting debut as Jerry in The Full Monty at Wellington’s Gryphon Theatre. With conducting experience widespread among many genres of music, Mark's depth includes ballet, choral, opera, orchestral, and musicals. His love for music is exemplified through his working in various performance mediums, as well as various genres. His choirs have consistently received accolades from critics and judges, attained superior ratings at festivals, and have been featured as an honor choir at American Choral Directors Association conventions and at The Big Sing in New Zealand and in various international competitions.
In the United States, he has held appointments as Associate Artistic Director with the Texas Boys Choir, Artistic Director of The Women's Chorus of Dallas, Artistic Director of The Singing Girls of Texas, and Principal Accompanist of the Turtle Creek Chorale. His most recent American posts include being the Music Director for the Theater program at Metropolitan State University and Artistic Director of the Northland Chorale and Colorado Repertory Singers.
Mark moved to Wellington, New Zealand in 2015 and is now a permanent resident of New Zealand. During the past 8 years, he has worked with various choirs from different age groups and experience. In New Zealand, he is the Founding Artistic Director of Inspirare, Director of Choirs at Queen Margaret College where he conducts 3 ensembles: Voces Luce and Jubilate, (award-winning choirs) and Celesta, Wellington Male Voice Choir, Wairarapa Singers in Masterton and the Glamaphones. Mark regularly works with other choirs as a guest clinician, as well as mentoring young conductors.
