Ducking punches and apple cores made it difficult, but failed to stop this Kiwi bloke from daring to pursue his dream of singing, John Landrigan reports.
The tenor has hit the high notes performing for dignitaries such as Canada's Prime Minister and in our top-class auditoriums.
But as a teenager, Joseph Gardner, 26, ducked jibes, punches and apple cores for daring to sing.
He knows all about stereotypes and discrimination - that you are a certain type of person because you perform in the arts or because you are attracted to the same sex.
The openly gay and confident young man endured the worst treatment growing up, because of his single-minded pursuit of a singing career. The effects of this discrimination feature in a study nearing completion at the University of Auckland.
Music has always been Mr Gardner's life. He sang in primary school choirs, played violin from the age of six and, from 12, took private singing lessons to learn classical and musical theatre.
He has toured New Zealand often and sang in Canada with the New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir. It was after this overseas adventure he experienced the undermining stigma against his choice of art and lack of appreciation for his vocal skills.
"When I went to Canada we sang for the Prime Minister. We did wonderful things in some amazing places, but nothing was mentioned of my achievements when I returned to school. That would not happen to a rugby player.
"The macho culture,'' he says, "was a difficult thing to live with. I know people who never started singing because of discrimination and stereotypes.'' Mr Gardner says he was
punched, kicked and had apple cores thrown at him.
Penelope Watson, former head of music at Takapuna Grammar School, returned to university to study the way boys in choirs are affected by stereotypes. Mrs Watson is completing a PhD at the University of Auckland's Faculty of Education.
She says there is often a false idea in schools that choral singing is feminine. She believes this negative stereotype leads to fewer boys joining choirs, and for those who do, it lowers the quality of their performance in front of peers.
"They [male peers] assume gay men, or men who sing, are not masculine and that's an incorrect assumption. The concept of a man having to be a certain type of man is not acceptable. In my career as a teacher, I have witnessed both verbal and physical bullying of male choristers.''
Her research is looking at a phenomenon called "stereotype threat'' in which a person mocked by peers may unconsciously perform at a poorer level.
The study looks at 195 male choristers in schools throughout Auckland, comparing their performances in front of peers from their schools, and again in front of peers from the music and arts communities.
The study found a significant decrease in performance quality when the boys sang for a general school audience where stereotype threat was considered present. Polynesian boys and female choristers were less affected.
Mr Gardner is going to Barcelona to concentrate on musical theatre after a national tour with a production called Broadway to West End.
"I do not suffer the same kind of stigma now and people are impressed with what I can do. I am confident about my future. Things are looking good.''