Westlake Indian Night 2026 brought the energy, colour, and rich traditions of India to life! A diverse crowd packed the event centre for a magnificent evening featuring traditional and contemporary dance, Indian fashion, and dynamic musical performances.

A huge thank you to the staff, student leaders, and committee members whose tireless efforts made the event a resounding success. As only the third edition of Indian Night, WIN26 stands as a strong symbol of community and culture – setting an exciting standard for future years.

After a successful season, Lady Cygnet is signing off…

Yes, dear readers, your suspicions are correct, the 2026 season of Pride and Prejudice was a glorious success. A reliable source reports that the final three shows sold out to much acclaim. Audiences were aglow with praise and good will, enjoying the performances of our fair cast.

Frankie and Tilly Feeney sparkled as sisters Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, stepping their way with grace through a series of romantic adventures, whilst India Smyth created a comedic uproar in her turn as the matrimonially obsessed Mrs Bennet. In their vibrantly beautiful gowns and dashing suits, our ensemble shone on the dancefloor, recreating the ball at Netherfield and beyond. The wonderful cast should be proud of their excellent performances, as should the admirable young crew of stage hands, without whom the night would never have progressed.

Thank-you, dear readers, for your support of this young company. Thank-you to participants – students and staff – across both schools for your good humour and eloquent work.

Lady Cygnet offers salutations to all!

Editor’s Note

And we offer our most heartfelt praise and thanks to dear Lady Cygnet, AKA our beloved Head of Senior Literature, Ms MJ Milburn, for her vital role in this magnificent triumph. We also give heartfelt thanks Ms Eimear Harridge (Assistant Head of Faculty of Language and Literature), who was a “producer extraordinaire” in the words of Ms Milburn!

On 3 July, the Westlake Boys Auditorium opened its doors to an enthusiastic, capacity crowd of students, families, and community members for the annual Westlake Chinese Night. As one of the most anticipated events of the year, Westlake Chinese Night brought people together to celebrate, honour, and experience the richness of Chinese culture through an unforgettable evening of performances, food, and art.

The evening commenced with the thunderous beat of the traditional Lion Dance. This was an energetic and vibrant opening that instantly brought the auditorium to life. The atmosphere then softened into elegance with a Guzheng performance accompanied by traditional Chinese dance, and then followed by a high-energy routine from the modern dance group. A stand-out moment was Kuaiban (快板), a storytelling performance, making its debut at Westlake Chinese Night this year. This brand-new addition was exceptionally well received, and the performer (Zachary Jia – Westlake Boys High School student), delivered it with impressive skill and charisma. Closing off the first half of performances our live band delivered an electrifying set that left the crowd buzzing.

During intermission, the foyer was filled with glow-in-the-dark headbands as well as a beautifully decorated Polaroid photo wall where attendees could capture and display their memories from the night. Outside the auditorium, a variety of food stalls were available, offering a wide selection of delicious options including; bubble tea, fried chicken, dumplings, bao buns, tanghulu (candied fruit skewers), desserts and pastries.

The second half reignited with a traditional-modern fusion dance. It was a stunning blend of Chinese-style aesthetics and contemporary dance. Next, a dazzling diabolo (Chinese yo-yo) group displayed skill and coordination that amazed the audience. The stage then blossomed with the traditional group who performed in their hanfu 汉服 (traditional Chinese clothing). Their performance featured beautifully crafted Chinese-style props such as folding fans and round silk fans (团扇). Finally, the finale band then brought the audience together through a magnificent performance, wrapping up Westlake Chinese Night 2026.

Beyond the incredible artistry of the night, the spirit of the event extended back into the community. Our proceeds and funds raised were proudly donated back to both respective schools; Westlake Boys’ and Westlake Girls’ High School, as well as the Committee’s chosen charity, KidsCan to support youth across the nation.

An event of this scale requires immense effort and dedication. A sincere, heartfelt thank you goes out to all our incredible performers, our generous sponsors, our amazing teachers, as well as the students and staff who gave up their time on the night. We are immensely grateful to our tireless committee and leaders working behind the scenes, and also our supportive audience who brought this event to life. This truly would not have been possible without everyone’s devotion, so thank you for making Westlake Chinese Night another unforgettable success – we look forward to seeing you all next year!

Felicia Cao & Tiffany Ma  (Westlake Chinese Night Committee 2026) 

Westlake Girls High School Students and Likha NZ Celebrate Filipino Culture Through Fashion

Students from Westlake Girls High School worked together with Likha NZ to present a fashion catwalk featuring the beauty of modern Filipiniana during the Philippine Independence Day celebration at ASB Showgrounds on June 6.

The students proudly wore modern versions of traditional Filipino clothing, showing how Filipino culture can be celebrated in a creative and stylish way. Their confidence and enthusiasm brought energy and colour to the event.

The project was made possible with the support of Likha NZ owners, Fritzi and Romy Udanga. They are known for warmly welcoming and encouraging students whenever help is needed. For them, Likha NZ is more than a business. It is a passion project that helps promote Filipino culture and traditions in New Zealand.

The fashion show gave students the chance to learn more about their heritage and share it with the wider community. It was one of the highlights of the celebration and helped make Philippine Independence Day a memorable occasion for everyone who attended.

Student Models

The modern Filipiniana collection was proudly presented by:

• Kate Pagalan Y12
• Lou Torayno Y12
• Ziluan He Y12
• Alleia Muit Y11
• Frances Abkilan Y11
• Rosheen Crisostomo Y11
• Princess Honeylie Rodas Y10
• Jhrynne Malong Y10
• Leila Sabino Y10
• Lara Separa Y9

Acknowledgement

A special thank you goes to the parents and whānau of the student models for their encouragement, support, and commitment throughout the preparation for the event. Their support helped make this cultural celebration a meaningful and memorable experience for the students. The Westlake Girls High School community and Likha NZ greatly appreciate their involvement in helping the students proudly represent Filipino culture and heritage.

We’re delighted to announce that two students from Westlake Girls High School (Eva Makarova-Paton and Yashica Lal) have been selected as finalists for Walk the Line 2026, taking place as part of New Zealand Fashion Week.

Delivered through Raise Up, The Y’s youth development programme, Walk the Line is New Zealand’s premier youth fashion showcase, providing young designers aged 13–18 with the opportunity to present their work on a professional runway in front of a live audience.

This year’s response was the strongest in the event’s history, with a record 108 entries received from around New Zealand. Following judging, just 78 young designers were selected as finalists, making this an outstanding achievement for your students and school.

The finalists will showcase their designs on the Walk the Line runway at Shed 10, Auckland, on Saturday 22 August 2026, as part of New Zealand Fashion Week.

Congratulations, Eva and Yashica!

On Thursday 2 July, the Senior Treble Voices Festival was hosted at Westlake Girls for the fifth year. This festival, initiated by Fiona Wilson and Elise Bradley provides young singers with an opportunity to perform in community rather than in competition with each other.

The 2026 festival included a record number of treble choirs from high schools around Auckland, including: Aria and Voce Costello from Macleans College, The Nessies from Takapuna Grammar School, Capriccio from Carmel College, Serenata from Rangitoto College, Stella Voce from Long Bay College, Cigno Voce and Cantare from Westlake Girls High School.

The festival also welcomed special international guests the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir from Australia, who performed a spectacular bracket of first nation songs with movement, indigenous instruments, audio and video. Throughout the afternoon, singers participated in valuable workshops, to learn from expert choral clinicians such as Dr Karen Grylls and Lyn Williams as well as teachers Margot Button and Sofia Onoshiko.

In all, there were approximately 450 singers participating, who came together to sing four pieces as a massive combined choir to close the final concert.

This year’s Auckland Regionals of the NZCF The Big Sing was a monumental choral showcase, bringing together a record 85 choirs from 54 high schools across the city and further afield. Over four days of competition, there were plenty of standout performances but the most rewarding aspect of this event is seeing young people present their unique voices, build their confidence, and express themselves within such an encouraging choral community.

Nota Bella

Cigno Voce

Choralation

Cantare and Choralation awards

Cantare

We are incredibly proud of all our Westlake choirs, our outstanding music team and we  appreciate the ongoing support of the Board and our school community. These achievements belong to our entire choral whānau:

Cantare: (Music Director Fiona Wilson) 

Excellent Recital Programme by an Upper Voice Choir

Adjudicator’s Award for excellent performance of a single piece: Suscepit Israel by J S Bach, featuring Alison Dunlop on oboe.                                                                   Choralation: (Music Director Fiona Wilson)

Excellent Recital Programme by a Mixed Choir

 Nota Bella (Music Director Elise Bradley – pictured in main image above)

Excellent Recital Programme by a Junior Choir.

Excellent Performance of a NZ or Pasifika Work (choir not selected for National Finale for past two years):

Tūi Canon by Takerei Komene.

Congrats to our brother school Westlake Boys for Voicemale’s award of Excellent Recital Programme by a Lower Voice Choir.

We are excited to announce that Cantare and Choralation have been selected for the next round of competition in August for the National Finale, held in Christchurch; and Nota Bella has been selected for Cadenza Festival, held in Rotorua. Congratulations to all our Westlake Choristers!

On Wednesday 24 June, Dilworth School hosted the Young Singers in Harmony regional competition, marking a musical milestone for our department. For the very first time, Westlake Girls was represented in the barbershop category by both our newly formed quartet, Soliloquy, and our barbershop chorus, Swanderful.

This fantastic venture was spearheaded by Mr Robin Park, a teacher trainee at Westlake Girls who is also a national Barbershop champion, choral singer, and music arranger. Driven by his passion for barbershop, Mr Park established both the chorus and quartet earlier this year, guiding these students from scratch. The regional competition was not only the singers’ first time competing in barbershop, but also their very first performance together.

Swanderful made an impactful impression as the only all-female chorus at the entire event. They embraced the supportive atmosphere wholeheartedly, performing with immense energy while soaking up valuable inspiration from the other participating schools.

The highlight of the event came with the exciting announcement of the results: the Soliloquy Quartet has been officially invited to represent Westlake Girls at the National Young Singers in Harmony Competition in Wellington on 23 September!

We are incredibly proud of both ensembles for stepping out into new musical territory with such enthusiasm and skill. A huge thank you to Mr Park for his expert direction, and congratulations to all our singers on an outstanding debut!

Making Music & Spreading Peace 

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that four of our incredibly talented students have been named finalists in the prestigious Play It Strange Peace Song Competition!

The competition challenges young songwriters to write a track focused on the theme of peace – however they chose to interpret it. Out of entries from students all over the country, several of our contemporary music students managed to stand out.

A massive congratulations to:

• Isabella Howard (Y12) – Inside Out
• Avishi Jain (Y12) – A Little More
• Kimberly Paula Quiambao (Y12) – Clemintine
• Hollie Blackwell (Y13) – Saving You.

The Prize: Heading to the Studio

As their prize, all four songwriters will get the incredible opportunity to record their tracks in a professional recording studio alongside an industry producer. Their finished songs will be featured on the official Play It Strange Peace Song Album, which will be released on all major streaming platforms. Best of all, the students retain full rights and royalties for their music. We are immensely proud of their hard work, creativity, and dedication.

A Special Visit from Indie Musician Nat Hutton

Adding to the musical excitement, we were lucky enough to host Nat Hutton from the brilliant Kiwi indie band There’s a Tuesday. Nat, who also works with Play It Strange, came in to meet our songwriters and talk to them about the other upcoming competitions. Some of our brave students even shared their latest songwriting creations with her, receiving some great feedback and encouragement.

More Opportunities Coming Up

The songwriting momentum isn’t over. We will be actively encouraging our students to enter the remaining Play It Strange competitions this year.

For any interested students, please note the upcoming dates:

• Waiata Māori Competition – 12 July
• National Songwriting Competition – 26 July
• Play It Strange Album Art Competition – 3 August

We can’t wait to see what our creative students come up with next. Stay tuned to hear the final tracks when the album drops.

The Westlake Chamber Orchestra, Westlake Concert Band, and Westlake Symphony Orchestra recently visited Takapuna Normal Intermediate School and Northcross Intermediate School to share their passion for music with younger students.

During the visits, each ensemble performed a varied programme that showcased the rich and diverse sounds of orchestral and concert band music. Students were also introduced to the different families of instruments, learning about the unique role each instrument plays within an ensemble. From strings and woodwind to brass and percussion, the performances gave intermediate students an up-close experience of what it is like to be part of a premier secondary school music group.

The tour provided a valuable performance opportunity for our Westlake musicians, allowing them to develop their confidence while representing the school’s vibrant music programme. It also aimed to inspire the next generation of young musicians by encouraging intermediate students to continue learning an instrument as they transition to secondary school.

We would like to thank Takapuna Normal Intermediate School and Northcross Intermediate School for their warm welcome. We look forward to visiting again in the future and sharing the joy of music with even more young performers.

Over the weekend of June 27th–28th, the Westlake Girls Events Centre was buzzing with incredible energy, rhythm, and collaboration as we proudly hosted the first-ever All-Girls Jazz Festival.

We welcomed 65 talented young musicians from four Auckland Girls School Big Bands:

• Epsom Girls Grammar School Directed by Imogen Pearce
• St Cuthbert’s College Directed by Angela Mote
• Baradene College Directed by David Edmundson
• Westlake Girls High School Directed by Jono Howan

The weekend was packed with hands-on learning, led by some fantastic jazz educators from all around the country. Students dived deep into their repertoire and sound with Lana Law (Director of the Christchurch All-Girls Big Band) and renowned jazz educator Paul Norman.

We welcomed Eddie Hare from Westlake Boys, who led an exciting introduction to improvisation, demystifying the art of making up music on the spot. On Sunday morning, select students were also invited to a specialised, advanced improvisation masterclass with Lana Law to push their skills even further.

One of the student highlights of the weekend was the ‘Mix-n-Match’ sessions. Students were split by instrument and thrown into brand-new, combined bands. For example, a saxophone section from Westlake Girls found themselves locking into a groove with brass players from Baradene and a rhythm section from St Cuthbert’s! It was a fantastic way for the students to socialise and make new friends.

The volume and excitement ramped up during the all-in play session on Sunday afternoon. All 65 musicians workshopped the same piece together in the Events Centre led by Lana Law, the massive ensemble traded solos and experimented with how tiny shifts in dynamics and articulation could make a massive impact on their collective sound.

The festival wrapped up on Sunday afternoon with a showcase concert. Each school took to the stage to share their hard work with each other and an enthusiastic audience of parents. The atmosphere was electric, and full of positivity and enthusiasm.

We are incredibly proud of our students and thrilled they had the opportunity to learn from such phenomenal tutors, while making connections with other wāhine in the jazz world.

A massive thank you to all the tutors, visiting schools, parents, and staff who made this weekend such a resounding success. We can’t wait to see how these connections and musical skills flourish in the future! Big thanks also go to Jono Howan and Kasey Lui for their hard work to put this event together.