On Tuesday 20th May, our premier music ensembles from Westlake Girls and Westlake Boys High Schools showcased their hard work achieved so far in  2025.

There was an incredible range of choral, orchestral and band repertoire performed by Westlake Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Westlake Concert and Big Bands, Cantare, Voicemale and Choralation choirs. It was a stunning evening of music, enjoyed by an audience at full capacity in the Event Centre.

On 23–24 May, Taharoto Strings and Symphonic Band participated in their joint in-house camp—a memorable two days filled with learning, music-making, and connection. Ms Lee is the director of this Taharoto Strings and the students took part in a variety of workshops focused on intonation, tuning, and sectionals. Sessions led by professional musicians from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra were both inspiring and enriching, offering valuable guidance on technique.

The camp also included bonding activities with the Symphonic Band, supported by Year 12 and 13 student leaders. The ensemble’s music director is Mr Howan. To conclude the camp, students performed four pieces at a parent concert, showcasing their hard work and progress.

Here’s what Year 10 student Amy Malcolm had to say about the experience:

“It was such a privilege to be tutored and inspired by the professional APO musicians who came in to run workshops and sectionals. They were very nice and helped me improve my accuracy and tone. Additionally, the camp boosted my confidence with playing the cool repertoire Ms Lee, Taharoto String Orchestra’s conductor, picked. The time we spent playing together helped create strong bonds and friendships between all of us students.”

On 14 May, 40 students from across the Level 3 English Writing courses and the Scholarship English programme had the privilege of attending the Auckland Writers Festival. This annual event holds special days exclusively for schools, designed to connect young readers and writers with some of today’s most exciting literary voices. It was a day rich with inspiration, creativity, and insight, brought to life by a diverse and exciting lineup of speakers.

The day began with British actor and writer Dame Harriet Walter, best known for her roles in Succession and Killing Eve, as well as her acclaimed Shakespearean stage work. In a sit-down discussion, she spoke about her latest novel, “She Speaks!”, which reimagines the voices of Shakespeare’s female characters. Walter even read a few excerpts from the book, bringing emotional depth and modern relevance to these classic figures.

Next, award-winning writer Lee Murray spoke about speculative fiction, from what it is to how it can be used to explore real-world issues through imaginative lenses. A particularly memorable and resonant moment was when she spoke about feeling out of place as a Chinese New Zealander, encouraging us to “write the stories we want to read,” – a reminder that no one else can tell your story the way you can.

After a quick lunch break, the day of inspiration continued with Neal Shusterman, the New York Times best-selling author of young-adult novels such as “Scythe”, “Challenger Deep”, and his latest, “All Better Now”. He shared his journey as a writer, reflecting on the importance of persistence, how his love for storytelling developed, and the value of not being afraid to write badly before writing well. The final speaker was Maori actor and director Scotty Cotter, who spoke about his audio project “Mauri Tau”. We listened to the opening of the first episode together – a calming and immersive experience that brought the day to a reflective end.

Throughout the festival, we browsed the wide selection of books and even got our purchases signed by the authors who spoke to us (a definite highlight for me). It was a rare opportunity to talk to them one-on-one, share our respect, and receive a token of their appreciation.

Each speaker offered something unique about writing, but they all emphasised the power of storytelling to connect, question, and create change. They reminded me – and, I’m sure, every other student – that great writing doesn’t start perfectly, but with honesty and a willingness to persevere even if it feels difficult at times. More than just a day out of school, the Auckland Writers Festival was a reminder to all of us young creatives of why we write. We left not only inspired but equipped with the belief that our words have value and our stories are waiting to be told.

By Rachel Kim 12WGO

On Thursday, 29 May, 130 singers from our Westlake treble choirs had their annual concert tour around local retirement villages.

Nota Bella Junior Choir, Cigno Voce Senior Choir and Cantare Premier Choir had a wonderful day performing to enthusiastic and supportive audiences at Northbridge, Fairview and Mayfair Villages.

Audience members commented on their “marvellous sound and superb musicianship”. The choirs are preparing to compete in the Auckland regionals of NZCF’s Big Sing choral festival on 10 and 12 June.

A Song of Ruth – Luminata Voices and Cantare Shine in Uplifting Choral Concert

Music lovers from across the North Shore gathered at Westlake Girls High School on Sunday afternoon on 18 May for a memorable musical occasion, as two of our community’s finest treble choirs – Luminata Voices Women’s Choir and Cantare – joined forces for a special concert, A Song of Ruth.

The event, held in the school’s Events Centre, drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, with families, friends, and local residents eager to support these talented singers. The concert was a celebration of love, guidance, and the special people who shape our lives – a fitting theme for May.

Luminata Voices, led by Vanessa Kay and Cantare, under the direction of Fiona Wilson, each presented a varied and engaging programme. Audiences were treated to everything from soaring classical pieces to contemporary New Zealand compositions, all performed with confidence and heart. The highlight for many was the combined performance of two pieces, Yamo (‘Mother’), a well-known Syrian song arranged by Shireen Abu-Khader, and A Song of Ruth by New Zealand composer David Hamilton. The intergenerational voices blended beautifully, filling the hall with rich harmonies and emotion.

“There are so many connections between our two choirs, so it was very special to share our love of choral music in a joint concert,” says Kay. “Yes, and for the younger singers in Cantare, realising there is a pathway into adult community singing was a valuable outcome. Blending younger voices and more mature voices in such a positive way and making those personal connections with singers across generations was a special part of this collaboration,” added Wilson.

After the final applause, attendees were invited to stay for a cuppa and a chat, rounding off the afternoon with the warm, neighbourly spirit that makes the North Shore so special. It’s clear that the future of choral music on the Shore is in excellent hands.

By Wendy Chen

The APO Discovery Concert brings the NZ music curriculum to life, and high school students are invited to the Auckland Town Hall to experience a narrated performance by the full Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra.

This year, the concert explored how various composition techniques and devices are used to create a musical piece. Students were able to listen to Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto with soloist David Zhu, Bizet’s Carmen: Suite No. 1, a brand new commission by Grace Wellik as Composer-in-Residence called “The Pendulum swings until it can’t no more” and Compose Yourself! by James Stephenson, where students could select from a range of music motifs. The orchestra then used these to make an entirely new piece to perform. See below for a selection of student reviews.

“Before going on the trip, I was rather hesitant. I usually don’t find myself engaged in concerts, but this trip was different. David Kay, one of the French Horn players, was a fantastic commentator and ‘tour guide’ when showing us the various instruments of the orchestra and features–one of the best instrument introductions being the trombone and the wide variety of sounds it could play. The orchestra played a colourful repertoire from composers and showed how they made different conversations between different instruments. The concert was an engaging experience that I’ll definitely be holding in my mind for a while.”

– Charlotte Adlam

“I found the piece interesting because of the rushed and stressed feeling. The tempo made it all the more interesting as it was quite fast and made it so much more erratic. The rhythm and bits where the tempo changed really sold it for me and made me really enjoy this piece of music.”

(The Pendulum swings until it can’t no more) – Chloe Day

“I really liked this piece because we got to learn a bit more about the difference between rhythm, melody and harmony. I also liked how we were in charge of this piece, making it as we pleased. It was cool to hear and find out what different orchestral sections played the different harmonies, melodies and rhythms, as well.”

(Compose Yourself!) – Harriet Boyens.

Kia ora,

I am Nicole, a Year 12 student who would like to share my achievement at the Auckland Regionals 2025 Lions’ Young Speechmakers Competition, with hopes to inspire others.

On 31 May, 2025, I was beyond humbled to have placed First in this speechmaking competition for the Auckland region. I competed against fifteen very promising and bright speakers who spoke about various issues that impacted youth. There were two speech categories that we were all asked to participate in; the first one being a prepared speech of five-six minutes, while the second being an impromptu speech of one-two minutes with one minute of preparation.

My prepared speech was titled ‘Ko wai au?’ In which I shared my experience as an immigrant in Aotearoa, and the rampant racism that affects us to this day. I was then given a prompt of “And then she…” for my impromptu speech. To be completely honest, I struggled with the pressures of time in deciding what to speak about. But ultimately I landed on one topic that deeply resonated with me; ‘And then she…became unapologetically her.’ I emphasised the importance of removing ourselves from the status quo, and to resist from being confined into stereotypical boxes.

I would highly recommend this competition to everyone as it is a platform that gives us a platform to inspire others with our knowledge and experiences. And above all, it is a valuable learning experience that has allowed me to learn about others’ ideas and cultures.

I, along with a peer from Dilworth College who had placed Second, will be competing at the National Speech Finals at New Plymouth in August.

By Nicole Lao

Westlake’s Dance Troupes were lucky enough to get to perform at Milford Primary School, before teaching the students some simple dances. We were greeted by a sea of enthusiastic kids. The troupes took to the stage to much applause and excitement, the six dances being Hip Hop, Latin, Jazz, Bollywood, K Pop, and Lyrical.

After our performances, which were great practice for the upcoming National Dance Challenge, we got to meet the year two cohort and teach them some simple moves. The kids were so cute. Some were shy and others were bold, but they all performed what they’d learnt with pride.

It was so nice to see the kids enjoy dancing. You could see their eyes light up when they learnt a fun new move, or when they got to boogie with their friends during the warm up. As someone who didn’t do dance until joining the Latin Troupe last year, seeing the kids fall in love with dance—just like I did—was so special. I hope we’ve inspired them to keep dancing!

By Head Prefect, Julia Wilkins

One of our high-needs students, Micaela, who has autism, is an incredibly talented artist. She’ll be leaving us to move to the Glenfield Satellite Unit on 9 June, but before she goes, she has a beautiful art exhibition currently on display at the Albany Library. Her artistic talents are simply amazing!

We love Micaela and we will miss her when she goes!

The link to Micaela’s work on Facebook is : https://www.facebook.com/share/19Ctosp41Q/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Last weekend, a group of Year 13 Dance students  delivered a captivating performance at the prestigious 30th Anniversary AIMES Awards Gala, held at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront. Their 1920’s Charleston-inspired rendition of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love,” accompanied by a live singer and orchestra, enthralled the audience and showcased the students’ exceptional talent and dedication.

The ensemble—Elise Whitehead, Madison Blomfield, Natalia Covich, Grace Hirst, Charlotte Bennett, Cathy Li, Tamara Bedford, Claire Li, Fay Ajjam, Amelie Fergusson, Nana Akieda, and Katharine Wang—worked tirelessly to perfect their performance. They first experienced the full orchestral collaboration during a rehearsal at Kristin School the evening prior to the event.

On the day of the gala, the students prepared in the elegant top-floor venue of Shed 10 and had the honour of welcoming guests on the red carpet. This remarkable opportunity highlighted these talented dancers as we congratulate them for the contribution to this event and hope to see more opportunities like this arise for the school in the future.

Our annual Westlake Girls Dance Showcase is coming up on Wednesday, 13 August (Week 5, Term 3) in the WGHS Event Center from 7:00pm–9:30pm. This is a highlight of the dance calendar, featuring performances from Years 9–13 across a wide range of genres including Tap, Cabaret, K Pop, Reggaeton, and Lindy Hop.

The evening will showcase the incredible work of our dance classes, as well as the extension dance troupes, and student-led choreography. It’s a celebration of creativity, teamwork, and talent — we’d love to see you there!

More details to come, but for now, mark it in your calendars — it’s not to be missed.