Whangarei singer Keisha Morris with the awards she won at the North Shore Performing Arts Vocal Competition last week.
Whangarei's Keisha Morris won the vocal championship for her age group - under 12 years - at the North Shore Performing Arts Vocal Competition in Auckland last week.
Keisha, aged 10 and a student of Opera North founder Joan Kennaway, won the Ellery Cup with the highest overall score from
the four classes in that grade. This included two first placings in the "song in costume" and "folk song" classes.
The competition was adjudicated by Christine Treseder Hallett, an accomplished opera singer and singing teacher. Early in her singing career, Ms Hallett studied with Dame Sister Mary Leo, who was probably best known for training some of the world's finest sopranos, including Dame Malvina Major and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
Three other young Whangarei singers, Caitlin Morris, 12, Jack Trubshaw, 11, and Lhasa Sharp, 12, also competed. Between them, they brought home a range of 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings in the Under 12yrs and Under 14yrs grades.
The annual competition is hosted by the North Shore Performing Arts Society, which is the longest running competition society in the wider Auckland area. It provides a platform for talent in the performing arts to be seen and heard in an atmosphere of healthy competition.
