Director

Wendy Stapleton

Wendy Stapleton is an Australian pop/rock singer-songwriter, musical theatre performer and television actor and presenter. 

Wendy is highly skilled in the art of performance, having begun her career at the age of 9 in Noel Coward's Melbourne theatre production of 'Sail Away', as well as in televised dance performances on Channel 9.

Wendy has enjoyed a long, diverse and vibrant career in the entertainment industry, from fronting rock outfit Wendy & The Rocketts in the 1980s through to theatre performances with 'I Only Wanna Be With You - The Dusty Springfield Story' and 'Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom' to featuring on Australian television hit series 'Neighbours' in the 2000s.

Wendy founded the Australian Women's Choir in 2014 and to this day remains its director and primary teacher.

Musical Director

Paul Norton

Paul Norton is an Australian pop/rock musician, songwriter and composer.

Paul's love of songwriting and performance was cemented in his teenage years when he joined Melbourne rock band The Runners. After signing with Mushroom records in the 1980s with The Runners, Paul continued to write and release music through the label as a solo artist. His singles 'Stuck On You' and 'Southern Sky' achieved great chart success in the 1980s and early 1990s and are deemed iconic Aussie rock anthems of the era.

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Currently, Paul works as the musical director and composer of The Australian Shakespeare Company, whose recent credits include 'Much Ado About Nothing', 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Tinkerbell and the dream Fairies'. Paul is the resident musical director for the Australian Women's Choir and assists the choir during weekly rehearsals and performances. 

Choir Coordinator

Ally McNaughton

Ally McNaughton is a Melbourne-based vocalist, singer-songwriter, musician, performer and arts manager with over 15 years professional experience in the arts and culture sector.

Ally holds a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) from RMIT University, and is due to complete a Master of Arts and Cultural Management with the University of Melbourne in mid-2023.

Ally's performance career highlights include The Dusty Springfield Show, Gerry Hale's Innocent Bystanders, The Burt Bacharach Songbook, The Carpenters Songbook, The Seekers, the Vanessa Amorosi band, The Spicy Girls and The Australian Shakespeare Company. Ally also writes, records, releases and performs music under the moniker, 'Ally Mac' since 2019. 

Ally has extensive teaching experience, having taught both as a dance and singing teacher with Stapleton Dance Academy from 2009-2016, as well as in her own business, 'Boogie Nights Dance', teaching dance to adults between 2017-2021. ​Since its inception, Ally has been the primary coordinator and assistant teacher of the Australian Women's Choir.