Mana is a 17 year old violinist who attends Massey High School in West Auckland. She started learning the violin at age 7 through the Suzuki method with Simon Griffiths and Stacey Shuck.
This is Mana‘s 5th year playing in the AYO and is an AYO Player Representative. She has competed in the AYO Soloist Competition where she was an award winner for two consecutive years:- Most Promising (2017) and the Gem Section winner (2018). Mana placed 2nd at the Pacific International Music Competition in January 2020 (no first place was awarded).
Mana is also a part of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra where she is the principle of the 2nd violins in 2020. Mana was in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra’s 60th anniversary orchestra.
In 2019, when Mana was Year 12, she received the NZQA Music Scholarship. Next year, Mana is thinking about studying music at university.
Mana’s hobbies other than music include travelling, and visiting various cafes around Auckland.