Westlake Girls’ junior choir Nota Bella earned a Tūī Gold Award and the trophy for Best Performance of a Piece in Te Reo Māori at the 2026 Upper North Island NZCF Cadenza Festival in Rotorua.
Directed by Elise Bradley MNZM, Nota Bella was one of only 12 Upper North Island choirs selected for the festival, held at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 August.
Across the three-day event, the choir’s 36 Year 9 and 10 singers rehearsed, refined their technique through workshops and formed new friendships with choristers from Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua.
Nota Bella presented two outstanding recitals featuring repertoire in English, te reo Māori and Malay, as well as the festival test piece, Scarborough Fair, arranged by adjudicator Brent Stewart.
The choir’s performance of Tūī Canon by Takerei Komene earned the trophy for Best Performance of a Piece in Te Reo Māori. Takerei, Nota Bella’s conducting intern, also conducted the work during the competition.
The two awards reflect months of dedication and musical growth from the young singers. Special thanks to vocal tutor Kate Webber and collaborative pianist Sofia Onishko for their outstanding musical contributions, and to the Westlake staff, families and friends who supported the choir throughout its Cadenza journey.
 |
 |
 |
 |
