Talofa lava my name is Enyah Talamaivao 22 years of age, born and raised in South Auckland. I am of Samoan decent and currently studying classical voice and criminology at University of Auckland. First encountered classical music at the age of 7 when I first learnt to play Violin. Continuing through my schooling years I also picked up classical voice and did classical singing when I went into secondary school. My first choir was at St Cuthberts College (Black Watch Singers) and later on became apart of the schools premiere choir (Saints Alive). Not long after joined the NZSSC (NZ Secondary Students Choir) and after then was blessed to have sang in AYC (Auckland Youth Choir & Auckland Youth Chamber Choir). Once I joined University I was given the opportunity to join ACC (Auckland Chamber Choir) I’ve recently been accepted in to NZYC (NZ Youth Choir) for a second cycle. First cycle was 2023-2025 and second cycle 2026-2028. My conducting experience is not as broad as my Classical voice, however my conducting portfolio includes a few performances for Sistema Aotearoa, pasifika conducting internship for CANZ (Choirs Aotearoa NZ) and a few years doing the conducting internship with NZSO (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra). The hope is be represent my pasifika heritage with pride and grace using the beautiful art of classical music as the foundation of my storytelling.
Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau, Alanah Jones (黄知秋) is a Kiwi-Chinese soprano studying classical voice at the University of Auckland under Dr Morag Atchison. Outside of her studies, Alanah regularly performs as a soloist, and as a chorister in various ensembles. Alongside singing in the NZ Youth Choir, Alanah is a member of Auckland Chamber Choir, and sings professionally as a member of St Matthew’s Voices.
For four years, Alanah sung as a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir. During her years at Westlake Girls High School, Alanah attended the Big Sing National Finale and toured Australia and Italy with the premier choirs Choralation and Cantare. She was twice the recipient of the Excellence in Music Performance Solo Cup.
In her time so far at the University of Auckland, Alanah has been a recipient of the Pears-Britten Award in Singing, the Beatrice Ratcliffe Scholarship in Music, the Evelyn M Harrison Scholarship, and the Auckland University Singers’ Choral Prize. She has also been a finalist in the Graham Allen Prize in Musical Theatre at UoA. Alanah is an alumna of the 2025 New Zealand Opera School, and looks forward to continuing her post-graduate studies at UoA.
Rowan is in his second cycle with the New Zealand Youth Choir. Alongside singing with the New Zealand Youth Choir, Rowan has sung with New Zealand Opera, and sings with the Christchurch Youth Choir. Rowan is in his final year at the University of Canterbury, studying to become a Computer Engineer.
Josh is a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at the University of Auckland specialising in Geotechnical engineering. He began his choral journey with All The King’s Men under the direction of Steven Rapana where he found his passion for music. He later sang with NZSSC and toured Europe with NZYC in 2025. Josh now continues to balance his interests in engineering and music, performing with the Auckland Chamber Choir, Auckland Youth Choir, and NZYC.
Riley is currently studying Graphic Design at Waikato Institute of Technology. Joining NZYC was a step up from being in the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir in 2021-2022 where they won the Llangollen Eisteddfod Children’s Choir of the World in 2022.
Riley found his passion in singing when he started high school at St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton in 2018. Riley made his mark by joining both the full school choir and the auditioned chamber choir from year 9. He also found a love for the stage participating in 3 of his schools annual productions — 2 as a lead. He played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and the Lion in The Wizard of Oz. He is super excited to see what is to come with his choral journey, especially excited for the end of course tour in 2025.
Herbert Zielinski started singing aged 8 years as a founding member of Wellington
Young Voices, before joining Onslow College choirs. He was accepted into the 2021-
2022 NZSSC as the tenor section leader while under Linden Loader’s tuition. Herbert is an amateur pianist, and holds a certificate in choral conducting from NZCF’s Young
Conductor Training Programme. During Herbert’s gap year, he joined the Tudor
Consort, Wellington Youth Choir as the tenor section leader, and the WYC committee as a fundraiser. Currently, he is studying his third year of a BSc in Biotechnology at Victoria University of Wellington, alongside a Classical Performance minor in voice under Barbara Paterson. Herbert’s soloist programme is focused on early music, which is advanced by him singing with the Queen’s Closet specialist group.
