Sophie Westenra
Encyclopedia
Sophie Westenra is a Christchurch
, New Zealand
soprano
and actress.
and Isaac.
Sophie developed an interest in music while, as a child, busking
around Christchurch with her elder sister Hayley (now a famous international classical crossover singer) and younger brother Isaac. During her sister Hayley's early international success, Sophie travelled and performed with her in the UK
, USA, and Japan
.
in Wellington, New Zealand. The concert DVD, Live from New Zealand
, was released by Decca Records
and broadcast by PBS'
program Great Performances
.
In 2008, Sophie was featured in the University of Canterbury
's School of Music's "The Silver Swan and Other Animals". She also received the "Most Outstanding First Year Student" award at the University of Canterbury
for her studies as a soprano; she then, however, decided to pursue a career in acting, and studied under actress and acting teacher Miranda Harcourt
. In late 2008, Sophie held a concert
with tenor
Paul Madsen at the Nelson Suburban Club.
In 2009 and 2010, Sophie headlined as solo performer and guest artist at Blenheim, New Zealand's
Pollard Park for its annual Christmas carol
service.
. She travelled with her mother Jill and elder sister Hayley to Ghana
in 2005 as part of Hayley's UNICEF mission to provide bicycles to Ghanaian children. Since the trip, Sophie has done several of her own fundraising and presentation events for UNICEF, including being a "global parent", making monthly donations to her causes.
On 8 February 2009, Sophie held a fundraising concert for The Salvation Army
Foodbank with the Christchurch tenor trio of Paul Madsen, Brent Liebezeit and Nick Rentoul at the Ashburtion
Domain Oval.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and actress.
Early life
Sophie Westenra was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, of Dutch and Irish heritage. Her parents, Jill and Gerald Westenra, have two other children, HayleyHayley Westenra
Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide...
and Isaac.
Sophie developed an interest in music while, as a child, busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
around Christchurch with her elder sister Hayley (now a famous international classical crossover singer) and younger brother Isaac. During her sister Hayley's early international success, Sophie travelled and performed with her in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, USA, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Education and Accomplishments
In 2004, Sophie duetted "Across the Universe of Time" in concert with Hayley at St. James TheatreSt. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre is located at 246 W. 44th St. Broadway, New York City, New York. It was built by Abraham L. Erlanger, theatrical producer and a founding member of the Theatrical Syndicate, on the site of the original Sardi's restaurant. It opened in 1927 as The Erlanger...
in Wellington, New Zealand. The concert DVD, Live from New Zealand
Live from New Zealand
-External links:* *...
, was released by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and broadcast by PBS'
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
program Great Performances
Great Performances
Great Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on Public Broadcasting Service public television since 1972...
.
In 2008, Sophie was featured in the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
's School of Music's "The Silver Swan and Other Animals". She also received the "Most Outstanding First Year Student" award at the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
for her studies as a soprano; she then, however, decided to pursue a career in acting, and studied under actress and acting teacher Miranda Harcourt
Miranda Harcourt
Miranda Catherine Millais Harcourt, ONZM is a New Zealand actress and acting coach. She is best known for her role as "Gemma" in the 1980s TV drama series Gloss, and has appeared in such films as For Good in 2003 and Fracture in 2004. Her mother is actress Dame Kate Harcourt...
. In late 2008, Sophie held a concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
with tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
Paul Madsen at the Nelson Suburban Club.
In 2009 and 2010, Sophie headlined as solo performer and guest artist at Blenheim, New Zealand's
Blenheim, New Zealand
Blenheim is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough, in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the regional council. It has a population of The area which surrounds the town is well known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry...
Pollard Park for its annual Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
service.
Philanthropy and Charity
Sophie has been deeply involved with different charitiesCharity
-Concepts and practices:* Charity , the practice of benevolent giving and caring* Charity , the Christian theological concept of unlimited love and kindness* Principle of charity in philosophy and rhetoric...
. She travelled with her mother Jill and elder sister Hayley to Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
in 2005 as part of Hayley's UNICEF mission to provide bicycles to Ghanaian children. Since the trip, Sophie has done several of her own fundraising and presentation events for UNICEF, including being a "global parent", making monthly donations to her causes.
On 8 February 2009, Sophie held a fundraising concert for The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Foodbank with the Christchurch tenor trio of Paul Madsen, Brent Liebezeit and Nick Rentoul at the Ashburtion
Ashburton, New Zealand
Ashburton is a town and district in the Canterbury Region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the third-largest centre in Canterbury, after Christchurch and Timaru. The area around Ashburton is frequently referred to as Mid Canterbury, which is also the name of the...
Domain Oval.