Growing up in the suburbs of South Auckland, Keani began singing at a young age, taking part in many cultural singing customs and admiring the voices of roles models in her family and community. Being of Cook Island descent, her cultural views and passion around Pasifika music has paved the start of her musical journey. Keani has completed her Bachelor of Music (Honours) majoring in Classical Voice and minoring in Conducting. Keani is a practicing musician, currently singing with the Auckland Chamber Choir and NZ Opera Chorus as well as being an alumni of the Auckland Youth Choir, New Zealand Secondary Students Choir and New Zealand Youth Choir. Having recently completed her teaching certificate, she is now working at Takapuna Grammar School as their newly appointed Director of Choirs.
Emma is a Dunedin based singer who is currently completing her Bachelor of Performing Arts at the University of Otago. She developed a love for music from a young age learning the piano and trombone alongside singing. Emma was involved in music throughout her years at Burnside High School and was awarded both the Jean Cumming Cup for Choral music, and the Outstanding Contribution to Music award in 2021. She was also a member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir in 2021-2022, and is a current member of the Southern Youth Choir.
Philip recently completed his PhD in Software Engineering at Victoria University of Wellington and is now working as a Software Developer. Starting his choral singing at Tawa College, Philip has since been involved with a number of choirs, including NZSSC and NZYC. Philip was the Music Director of the Wellington Youth Choir from 2020 to 2022. As well as NZYC, he also sings with Wellington Youth Choir and the Orpheus Choir of Wellington, for which he is currently a member of the Board of Directors. When Philip isn’t singing he enjoys playing squash, Scottish Country Dancing, and pub quizzing.
Tahlia is a composer from Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington. She holds a Bachelor of Music in instrumental/vocal composition, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Practice where she specialised in film scoring. Tahlia has worked on local projects such as BBC’s The Luminaries, Blue Moon, Loading Docs He Hekenga Tuhura and Haka Haha, and the TVNZ short series Little Apocalypse. Tahlia joined CANZ in 2023 and now manages the marketing portfolio for our three choirs and choral academy, and manages Voices New Zealand. In her spare time, she writes her own music and sings in choirs within Wellington.
Kia ora rā! Ko Tess ahau, tētahi o ngā kaiwaiata i roto i te Rōpū Rangatahi Waiata o Aotearoa. My ancestral lineage descends from Europe and Jamaica, nā he tangata Pākehā, Tauiwi ahau ki te whenua nei. I grew up in Pōneke Wellington in a musical family. My mother is a violinist in New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and through her encouragement I started the pinao and picked up cello around 9, which I continued through University in a MusB. While at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka (Otago), I also completed a BA in reo Māori, kapa performing arts, linguistics, and English literature. In my final year, I chose classical voice as 2nd instrument under Anna Leese’s tutelage. She unlocked sounds I’d never thought I could make. Coming from an orchestral and chamber music background, this was quite exciting! I loved lessons, and with her support, joined NZYC for the 2023-2025 cycle. I’m now in Pōneke working in a bilingual Te Tiriti/Treaty and history education space.
