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TV Asahi Corporation
株式会社テレビ朝日

Type	Kabushiki gaisha
Traded as	TYO: 9409
Industry	Information, Communication
Founded	Tokyo, Japan (November 1, 1957 (1957-11-01))
Headquarters	9-1, Roppongi Rokuchome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Area served	Kanto region, Japan
Services	Telecasting, Program producing
Revenue	¥235,398 million (FY 2010)
Operating income	¥9,851 million (FY 2010)
Net income	¥7,013 million (FY 2010)
Total assets	¥309,871 million (FY 2010)
Total equity	¥242,863 million (FY 2010)
Owner(s)	The Asahi Shimbun Company (24.72%) Toei Co., Ltd. (16.09%) Kosetsu Museum of Art (5%) Mizuho Trust & Banking (4.01% through Trust & Custody Services Bank) Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting (3.2%) Recruit (2.09%) State Street BTC of Japan (2.02%) The Asahi Shimbun Foundation (2%) Northern Trust (1.92%) the Master Trust Bank of Japan (1.77%)
Employees	1,148 (as of June 30, 2011)
Parent	The Asahi Shimbun Company
Subsidiaries	Shin-Ei Animation TV Asahi Productions, Co., Ltd. TV Asahi Music Co., Ltd. TV Asahi America Inc.
Website	company.tv-asahi.co.jp/e/

TV Asahi Corporation
株式会社テレビ朝日

Type	Broadcast television network
Country	Japan
Availability	National
Slogan	"New Air, On Air."
Owner	TV Asahi Corporation (株式会社テレビ朝日)
Key people	Masao Kimiwada (president)
Launch date	November 1, 1957
Former names	Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd. (NET, 株式会社日本教育テレビ), Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (ANB, 全国朝日放送株式会社)
Official website	www.tv-asahi.co.jp

TV Asahi Corporation (株式会社テレビ朝日, Kabushiki-gaisha Terebi Asahi^?), also known as EX and Tele-Asa (テレ朝, Tere Asa^?), is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network.

Headquarters[link]

The headquarters of TV Asahi in Roppongi

In 2003, the company headquarters moved to a new building designed by Fumihiko Maki. The address is: 6-9-1 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

History of TV Asahi[link]

TV Asahi broadcasting center

TV Asahi began as "Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd." (NET) (株式会社日本教育テレビ, Kabushiki-gaisha Nihon Kyōiku Terebi^?, "The Japanese Educational Television Company") on November 1, 1957. It was established as a for-profit educational television channel, which was (and still is) quite rare in the world television industry. At the time, its broadcasting license dictates that the network is required to devote at least 50% of its airtime to educational programming, and at least 30% of its airtime to children's educational programming. The station was owned by Asahi Shimbun, Toei Company, Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Obunsha.

However, the for-profit educational television model eventually proved to be a failure. In 1960, NET began its transformation into a general-purpose television station. It began to broadcast anime and foreign movies. So as not to run afoul of the educational TV license requirements, NET justified the airing of these programs under the pretext of "nurturing a child's emotional range" (子供の情操教育のため) and "introduction of foreign cultures" (外国文化の紹介). At the same time, NET also changed its common name from "Nihon Educational Television" to "NET TV" (NETテレビ).

Seven years later, in 1967, NET aired its first colour broadcast programme.

NET's transformation into a general-purpose television station was complete by November 1973, when NET, along with educational channel "Tokyo Channel 12" (now TV Tokyo) in Tokyo applied and received a general purpose television station license. At the same time, NET renamed itself to NET General Television (総合局NET‎), and was renamed as "Asahi National Broadcasting Company, Limited" (全国朝日放送株式会社, Zenkoku Asahi Hōsō Kabushiki-gaisha^?, commonly named "TV Asahi") on April 1, 1977.

In 1996, TV Asahi established the All-Nippon News Network (ANN) (オールニッポンニュース・ネットワーク, Ōru Nippon Nyūsu Nettowāku^?), and began a number of reforms, including the unification of all presentation styles on its regional networks and the creation of a new logo to give Asahi the look and feel of a national television network. On October 1, 2003, TV Asahi moved its head office from its Ark Hills Studio to Roppongi Hills, and the station was renamed "TV Asahi Corporation", with the name presented as "tv asahi" on-screen.

The transmission of international aquatics competitions, World Cup football matches, and creation of popular late-night TV programs contributed to a rise in ratings for TV Asahi, and lifted the TV station from its popularly ridiculed "perpetual fourth place" finish into second place, right behind Fuji TV, by 2005.

The station also launched its own mascot, Gō EX Panda (ゴーエクスパンダ, Gō Ekkusu Panda^?) , also known as Gō-chan (ゴーちゃん。^?) Gō-chan is currently seen on TV Asahi's opening sign-on ID.

Controversy[link]

Amidst the Katie Sierra suspension controversy, a producer from Tele-Asa called Tokyo Broadcasting System's coverage of the controversy a "competition".

Source: http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=01/11/29/2208070

Idents and station brand[link]

TV Asahi's current ident sets and station branding were created by UK design collective Tomato (some members work as the electronic music group Underworld) along with Asahi's in-house design department in 2003. It comprises a set of computer-generated "sticks", which changes in colour and movement along with the background music that accompanies the idents. Normally, the station branding on-screen appears as either "/tv asahi" or "tv asahi\". The fonts used by Asahi on its fonts are Akzidenz Grotesk Bold (for the English part)，and ヒラギノ角ゴシック（W8） (for Japanese).

Source:http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/vi/flash_content/index.html

TV broadcasting[link]

Since 2004, the funding of this station is through sponsorship.

Analog[link]

JOEX-TV – TV Asahi Analog Television (テレビ朝日アナログテレビジョン)

• Tokyo Tower – VHF Channel 10

Tokyo

• Hachiōji – Channel 45
• Tama – Channel 57

Islands in Tokyo

• Chichijima – Channel 59

Ibaraki Prefecture

• Mito – Channel 36
• Hitachi – Channel 60

Tochigi Prefecture

• Utsunomiya – Channel 41

Gunma Prefecture

• Maebashi – Channel 60

Saitama Prefecture

• Chichibu – Channel 38

Chiba Prefecture

• Narita – Channel 59
• Tateyama – Channel 60

Kanagawa Prefecture

• Yokohama-minato – Channel 60
• Yokosuka-Kurihama – Channel 35
• Hiratsuka – Channel 41

Okinawa Prefecture

• Kita-Daito – Channel 48
• Minami-Daito – Channel 60

Digital[link]

JOEX-DTV – TV Asahi Digital Television (テレビ朝日デジタルテレビジョン)

• Remote controller ID 5
• Tokyo Tower – UHF Channel 24

Ibaraki Prefecture

• Mito – Channel 17

Tochigi Prefecture

• Utsunomiya – Channel 17

Gunma Prefecture

• Maebashi – Channel 43

Kanagawa Prefecture

• Hiratsuka – Channel 24

Networks[link]

• Headquartered in Osaka, broadcast in the Kansai area: Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, Analog Channel 6, Digital Channel 15 [ID: 6]
• Headquartered in Nagoya, broadcast in the Chukyo area: Mētele, Analog Channel 11, Digital Channel 22 [ID: 6]
• Headquartered in Sapporo, broadcast in Hokkaidō: Hokkaido Television Broadcasting, Analog Channel 35, Digital Channel 23 [ID: 6]
• Headquartered in Aomori, broadcast in Aomori Prefecture: Asahi Broadcasting Aomori, Analog Channel 34, Digital Channel 32 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Morioka, broadcast in Iwate Prefecture: Iwate Asahi Television, Analog Channel 31, Digital Channel 22 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Sendai, broadcast in Miyagi Prefecture: Higashinippon Broadcasting, Analog Channel 32, Digital Channel 28 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Akita, broadcast in Akita Prefecture: Akita Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 31, Digital Channel 29 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Yamagata, broadcast in Yamagata Prefecture: Yamagata Television System, Analog Channel 38, Digital Channel 18 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Kōriyama, broadcast in Fukushima Prefecture: Fukushima Broadcasting, Analog Channel 35, Digital Channel 29 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Niigata, broadcast in Niigata Prefecture: The Niigata Television Network 21, Analog Channel 21, Digital Channel 23 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Kanazawa, broadcast in Ishikawa Prefecture: Hokuriku Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 25, Digital Channel 23 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Nagano, broadcast in Nagano Prefecture: Asahi Broadcasting Nagano, Analog Channel 20, Digital Channel 18 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Shizuoka, broadcast in Shizuoka Prefecture: Shizuoka Asahi Television, Analog Channel 33, Digital Channel 18 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Hiroshima, broadcast in Hiroshima Prefecture: Hiroshima Home TV, Analog Channel 35, Digital Channel 22 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Yamaguchi, broadcast in Yamaguchi Prefecture: Yamaguchi Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 28, Digital Channel 26
• Headquartered in Takamatsu, broadcast in Kagawa Prefecture, Okayama Prefecture: Setonaikai Broadcasting, Analog Channel 25, Digital Channel 30
• Headquartered in Matsuyama, broadcast in Ehime Prefecture: Ehime Asahi Television, Analog Channel 25, Digital Channel 17 [ID:5]
• Headquartered in Fukuoka, broadcast in Fukuoka Prefecture, Saga Prefecture: Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 1, Digital Channel 31 [ID: 1]
• Headquartered in Nagasaki, broadcast in Nagasaki Prefecture, Nagasaki Culture Telecasting, Analog Channel 27, Digital Channel 19 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Kumamoto, broadcast in Kumamoto Prefecture: Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 16, Digital Channel 49 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Ōita, broadcast in Ōita Prefecture: Oita Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 24, Digital Channel 32 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Kagoshima, broadcast in Kagoshima Prefecture: Kagoshima Broadcasting Corporation, Analog Channel 32, Digital Channel 36 [ID: 5]
• Headquartered in Naha, broadcast in Okinawa Prefecture: Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting, Analog Channel 28, Digital Channel 16 [ID: 5]

Programmes[link]

• Abarenbō Shōgun (1978–2003)
• Area 88
• As the World Turns
• Ashita no Nadja (a.k.a. Nadja of Tomorrow)
• Atashin'chi
• Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
• The Bold and the Beautiful
• Chōdenji Machine Voltes V
• Choudenji Robo Combattler V
• Captain Harlock
• Cyborg Kuro-chan
• Devilman (NET, 1972–1973)
• Guiding Light
• Gundam (before Turn-A Gundam)
• Gregory Horror Show (1998–2004)
• Haikara-san ga Tōru (1978–1979)
• Hagemaru
• Hana no Ko Lunlun (1979–1980)
• Jinki:EXTEND
• Kamen Rider Fourze
• Majokko Megu-chan (NET, 1974–1975)
• Matthew's Best Hit TV+
• Metal Hero Series (Concluded with Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack in 1998)
• Peacemaker Kurogane
• Red Garden
• Saint Seiya
• Sh15uya
• Slam Dunk
• Super Hero Time (A Sunday tokusatsu block currently airing Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters and Kamen Rider Fourze)
• SmaSTATION
• Strawberry 100% (いちご100%)
• Speed Grapher
• Sumomomo Momomo
• Tenjho Tenge
• Tokumei Kakarichō Tadano Hitoshi
• Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters
• Tōshō Daimos
• World Pro Wrestling (ワールド・プロレスリング, New Japan Pro Wrestling TV program)
• Xenosaga: The Animation
• Smile PreCure! (Sunday Hero Time Only, from Asahi Broadcasting Corp.)
• The Young and the Restless
• Yu-Gi-Oh! (first series, 27 episodes long, not the Yu Gi Oh! Duel Monsters series aired internationally)
• Zombie-Loan

News programmes[link]

• ANN News (ANNニュース, ANN Nyūsu^?) (daily news bulletin, 5:50 and 11:45 AM)
• Hai! Terebi Asahi Desu. (はい!テレビ朝日です, Yes! This is TV Asahi.^?)
• Hodo Station (報道ステーション, Hodo Sutēshon^?) (late night newscast)
• Super J Channel (スーパーJチャンネル) (evening newscast)
• Super Morning (スーパーモーニング) (late morning show)
• Wide! Scramble (ワイド!スクランブル)
• Yaguchi Hitori Maru C (やぐちひとりC)
• Yajiuma TV (やじうまテレビ) (early morning show)

Sports programmes[link]

• U.S.Open, The Open Championship
• U.S. Women's Open, Women's British Open
• ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Final
• FINA World Aquatics Championships
• Yokohama International Women's Marathon
• New Japan Pro Wrestling

Variety programmes[link]

• Live to Dance
• Music Station (ミュージックステーション, Myūjikku Sutēshon^?)
• The X Factor (UK)

Drama programmes[link]

• Aibou(相棒) Yutaka Mizutani (2002 TV drama)
• You're Under Arrest (2002 TV drama)
• Maison Ikkoku (2007 TV drama)
• Uta no Oniisan (2008 TV drama)
• 7 Mannin Tantei Nitobe (2009 TV drama)

Children & Teen programming[link]

• Sailor Moon
• Stitch! ~Itazura Alien no Daibouken~
• Stitch! ~Zutto Saiko no Tomodachi~
• Maple Town
• Maya the Bee
• Perman
• Crayon Shin-chan
• Cutie Honey (NET, 1973–1974)
• The Adventures of Pepero (1975–1976)
• Princess Princess
• Esper Mami
• Sally the Witch (1st and 2nd series)
• Danny Phantom
• Doraemon
• Kaibutsu-kun
• Ninja Hattori
• Lalabel, The Magical Girl
• Kamen Rider
• Super Sentai
• The 3 Spin-offs of Kaibutsu-kun
• Ojamajo Doremi (Magical Doremi, from Asahi Broadcasting Corp.)
• Digimon Xros Wars

See also[link]

Tokyo portal

• Television in Japan

External links[link]

• Official website (Japanese)
• Corporate site (English)
• TV Asahi's channel on YouTube
• TV Asahi on Twitter

Others[link]

• Nihon Educational Television CM on YouTube

Tomomi Itano
Tomomi Itano performing at the Anime Expo AKB48 live in Los Angeles, 2010
Background information
Native name	板野 友美
Also known as	Tomochin (ともちん)[1]
Born	(1991-07-03) July 3, 1991 (age 20)[2]
Origin	Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan[2]
Genres	J-pop
Years active	2005-present
Labels	King Records (Japan) (both for solo and AKB48)
Associated acts	AKB48

Tomomi Itano (板野 友美, Itano Tomomi^?, born July 3, 1991) is a member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, as well as a soloist.^[2] Her talent agent is Horipro.

Biography[link]

In 2005, she joined the all-female Japanese idol group AKB48.^[3] After becoming a model for the popular woman's fashion magazine Cawaii!, she released her first photo book titled T.O.M.O.row in April 2009.^[4] In early 2010 she played Shibuya in the AKB48 TV Tokyo dorama "Majisuka Gakuen".^[5] She had a recurring role on Kamen Rider W as Queen, alongside friend Tomomi Kasai, until the show ended in late 2010. Together, they made up the sub-unit Queen & Elizabeth.^[6]

Itano ranked 4th place in the second AKB48 Senbatsu election (June 2010).

2011 Activities[link]

She released her first single, "Dear J", on January 26. It currently holds 3rd place in Recochoku (largest Japanese ring tone site) Chaku Uta ranking.^[7] It reached number 1 on the Oricon daily ranking and number 2 on the Oricon weekly ranking, selling 204,981 copies. In April, she returned to her role as Shibuya on the "Majisuka Gakuen" sequel, "Majisuka Gakuen 2".^[8] Her first digital single "Wanna Be Now" ranked number 2 on the daily Recochoku charts and number 6 on the weekly charts.^[9]

Itano ranked 8th place in the third AKB48 Senbatsu election (June 9, 2011). Her second single "Fuini" was released on July 13 and sold 90,103 copies, ranking #1 on the weekly charts.

Solo discography[link]

Singles[link]

• "Dear J" (January 26, 2011)
• "Fui ni" (ふいに, Unexpectedly^?) (July 13, 2011)
• "10 nen Go no Kimi e" (10年後の君へ, Jū nen Go no Kimi e^?, To You, After 10 Years) (April 25, 2012)

Digital singles[link]

• "Wanna Be Now" (May 11, 2011)
• "Ai ni Pierce" (愛にピアス, Ai ni Piasu^?, Pierced in Love) (June 1, 2011)

AKB48 appearances[link]

Singles[link]

• Sakura no Hanabiratachi (桜の花びらたち^?)
• Skirt, Hirari (スカート、ひらり^?)
• Aitakatta (会いたかった^?)
• Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru (制服が邪魔をする^?)
• Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou (軽蔑していた愛情^?)
• Bingo!
• Boku no Taiyou (僕の太陽^?)
• Yūhi wo Miteiru ka? (夕陽を見ているか？^?)
• Romance, Irane (ロマンス、イラネ^?)
• Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008 (桜の花びらたち2008^?)
• Baby! Baby! Baby!
• Ōgoe Diamond (大声ダイヤモンド^?)
• 10nen Zakura (10年桜^?)
• Namida Surprise! (涙サプライズ！^?)
• Iiwake Maybe (言い訳Maybe^?)
• River
• Sakura no Shiori (桜の栞^?)
  • Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll (マジスカロックンロール^?)
• Ponytail to Chouchou (ポニーテールとシュシュ^?)
  • Majijo Teppen Blues (マジジョテッペンブルース^?)
• Heavy Rotation (ヘビーローテーション^?)
  • Lucky Seven (ラッキーセブン^?)
  • Yasai Sisters (野菜シスターズ^?)
• Beginner
• Included in Chance no Junban (チャンスの順番^?)
  • Yoyaku shita Christmas (予約したクリスマス^?)
  • Alive (as Team K)
• Sakura no Ki ni Narō (桜の木になろう^?)
• Everyday, Katyusha (Everyday、カチューシャ^?)
  • Korekara Wonderland (これからWonderland^?)
  • Yankee Soul (ヤンキーソウル^?)
• Flying Get (フライングゲット^?)
  • Seishun to Kizukanai mama (青春と気づかないまま^?)
  • Yasai Uranai (野菜占い^?) - as Yasai Sisters 2011
• Kaze wa Fuiteiru (風は吹いている^?)
• Included in Ue kara Mariko (上からマリコ^?)

  Noël no Yoru (ノエルの夜^?)

  Zero-sum Taiyō (ゼロサム太陽^?) (as Team K)

• Give Me Five! (GIVE ME FIVE!^?)

  Sweet and Bitter

• Manatsu no Sounds Good! (真夏のSounds good!^?)

  Chōdai, Darling! (ちょうだい、ダーリン!^?)

Sub units[link]

• Honegumi from AKB48
• Natto Angels
• Queen & Elizabeth
• Team Dragon from AKB48
• AKB Idoling!!! (AKB48 x Idoling!!!)

Stage units[link]

Team A 1st Stage "Party ga Hajimaruyo" (Partyが始まるよ^?)

1. Skirt, Hirari (2nd Unit) (スカートひらり^?)
2. Hoshi no Ondo (1st Unit) (星の温度^?)

Team A 2nd Stage "Aitakatta" (会いたかった^?)

1. Nageki no Figure (嘆きのフィギュア^?)
2. Garasu no I Love You (ガラスのI Love You^?)
3. Senaka Kara Dakishimete (背中から抱きしめて^?)
4. Lio no Kakumei (リオの革命^?)

Team A 3rd Stage "Dareka no Tameni" (誰かのために^?)

1. Nage Kissu de Uchiotose! (投げキッスで撃ち落とせ！^?)
2. Seifuku ga Jama o Suru (制服が邪魔をする^?)

Team A 4th Stage "Tadaima Rennai Chū" (ただいま恋愛中^?)

1. Faint

Himawarigumi 1st Stage "Boku no Taiyō" (僕の太陽^?)

1. Itoshisa no defence (愛しさのdefence^?)
2. Idol Nante Yobanaide (アイドルなんて呼ばないで^?)

Himawarigumi 2nd Stage "Yumewo Shinaseru Wakeni Ikanai" (夢を死なせるわけにいかない^?)

1. Confession

Team A 5th Stage "Rennai Kinshi Jōrei" (恋愛禁止条例^?)

1. Tsundere! (ツンデレ！^?)

Team K 6th Stage "Reset"

1. Seifuku Resistance (制服レジスタンス^?)

Filmography[link]

Movies[link]

• Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate (2010) as Queen
• Kamen Rider Double: Begins Night (2009) as Queen
• Ai Ryutsu Centre (2008)
• Densen Uta (2007)

Dramas[link]

• Sakura kara no Tegami (NTV, 2011) (as herself)
• Majisuka Gakuen 2 (TV Tokyo, 2011)(as Shibuya)
• Majisuka Gakuen (TV Tokyo, 2010) (as Shibuya)
• Kamen Rider Double (TV Asahi,2009) (as Queen)

Radio[link]

• AKB48 Ashita made Mou Chotto (明日までもうちょっと。^?) (2007-10-15, JOQR-AM)
• TomoTomo no Yagi-san, Oide (ともとものヤギさん、おいで～♪^?) (2008-04-07 - present, JOKR-AM)
• AKB48 no All Night Nippon (AKB48のオールナイトニッポン7^?) (2010-04-09 - , JOLF-AM)

Variety[link]

• AKBingo!
• Shūkan AKB (週刊AKB^?)
• "AKB48 Nemousu TV" (「AKB48ネ申テレビ」)

Commercials[link]

• NTT Docomo (2006)
• Kirin Nuda by Kirin Beverage (2008)
• UHA Mikakutō "Puccho" (UHA味覚糖『ぷっちょ』^?) (2010-08-10 - )
• Ito-Yokado "Body Heater" (イトーヨーカドー『Body Heater』^?) (2010-08-21 - )
• Samantha Thavasa (2011-01 - )
• EMOBILE LTE (2012-04 -)

Web[link]

• Private Princess (2007.11.01-present, Horipro Productions)
• Midtown TV (2007-11-06, GyaO)
• Kirin Nuda Presents "Kirin Nuda Lemon&Tonick" Sukkiriman Site (2008-03-25 - 05-31)
• AKB48 in Horipro (2008-04-01 - present, Yahoo! Douga)
• Idol Natsu Monogatari (アイドル夏物語^?) (2008-07-25 - present, Yomiuri TV)
• Kakarichō Aoshima Shunsaku The Mobile (係長 青島俊作 The Mobile^?)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website (Japanese)
• Tomomi Itano on King Records (Japanese)
• AKB48 Profile (Japanese)
• Official blog at Ameblo (Japanese)
• Tomomi Itano on Facebook
• Tomomi Itano on Twitter
• Tomomi Itano (English page) on Google+

Hayley Westenra
Background information
Birth name	Hayley Dee Westenra
Born	(1987-04-10) 10 April 1987 (age 25) Christchurch, New Zealand
Genres	Classical, pop, Celtic, operatic pop
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals, Piano, guitar, violin, recorder
Years active	2001—
Labels	Universal Records New Zealand Decca Records
Associated acts	Celtic Woman, Andrea Bocelli, Ennio Morricone
Website	http://www.hayleywestenra.com/

Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987)^[1][2] is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist,^[3] 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. Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, having made Westenra an international star at age 16. In August 2006, she joined the Irish group Celtic Woman, was featured on their Celtic Woman: A New Journey CD and DVD, toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour, and also was featured on their DVD, The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection, released in 2008.

Across classical music to easy listening, folk and pop style songs, Westenra has performed songs in English, Irish, Welsh, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Latin, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese and Māori from west to east, north to south all around the world.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Westenra has performed for dignitaries around the world. She is the second youngest UNICEF Ambassador to date and has contributed to charities around the world.^[9]

Early life[link]

Westenra was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, and is of Dutch^[10] and Irish^[11] heritage. Her parents, Jill and Gerald Westenra, have two other children, Sophie and Isaac Westenra. Westenra's grandmother Shirley Ireland was a singer, and her grandfather was a pianist who also played the piano accordion.^[12]

She began performing at age six when she was cast in the lead singing role of "Little Star" in the Christmas play^[12] at her school, Fendalton Open Air School.^[13] After the show, a teacher who had watched the performance approached her parents to tell them that their daughter was "pitch perfect".^[12] The teacher encouraged Westenra to learn how to play a musical instrument; Hayley soon after learned to read music and play the violin, piano, guitar, and recorder. She then began voice lessons and discovered a passion for musical theatre. By age 11, she had performed more than 40 times on stage,^[12] but was often given male parts: "I got boy parts quite often. In ballet, there were not enough boys. So they ended up choosing half and half. I got chosen to wear the grey suit and the wig, and not the pretty dresses. In A Christmas Carol, I was Tiny Tim, so I got to be quite a sick, sick boy. There was a severe lack of singing boys and, at the time, it was quite disappointing."^[14]

Career[link]

At 12, Westenra entered a professional recording studio to record Walking in the Air, a demo album originally created for friends and family. At first, her parents paid for 70 copies; soon after, 1,000 more were cut for sale, handout, and publicity. After finishing her album, Westenra and her sister Sophie busked in Christchurch, giving away a few of the original 70 albums (at the behest of passersby) and selling some of the latter 1000. The pair drew large crowds, and one woman asked the girls if they had ever recorded anything. The woman, a journalist with Canterbury Television, asked Westenra to appear on air.^[15] Gray Bartlett, the director of a concert promotion company, saw the show and became interested in working with Westenra.^[15] Shortly after, she was offered a recording deal with Universal Records New Zealand.^[16] On that label, Westenra, who in the meantime was attending Burnside High School,^[17] released a self-titled album of show tunes and light classical songs, as well as My Gift to You, a CD of Christmas music. Following the success of her albums, she was offered and later received lessons from Dame Malvina Major.^[12]

International success[link]

Westenra's albums were successful in New Zealand, but she was not well known worldwide until she signed a contract with Decca Records and recorded Pure, a CD of classical, light pop, and traditional Māori songs. Decca's British president was also impressed with her voice when they signed her to the label, saying that she was "captivated by the beauty and expressiveness of her voice."^[18] Pure enjoyed record success: it became the fastest-selling international debut album in the history of the UK classical chart, with 19,068 copies purchased in its first week alone, quickly reached No. 1 on the British charts, and entered the UK Pop Chart at #8.^[15][19] Over two million copies of Pure have been sold to date. In New Zealand, Pure has been certified 12x platinum, making her the best-selling artist, regardless of genre, in the country's history.^[20]

Pure's success ensured that Decca would take Westenra seriously. Some of her fame today can be directly attributed to the way in which Decca promoted her. Although the traditional audience of classical crossover music is adult women, they also promoted her music to children and teenagers.^[21] Westenra recorded the end-title song for Disney's movie Mulan II.^[22] They also featured her in the national Radio Disney music education tour for middle-school students. On 24 Aug 2003, Westenra performed on the stage with opera tenor José Carreras and Bryn Terfel in front of the capacity crowd of 10,000 people from Faenol Festival in Wales.^[23][24]

Decca has also promoted Westenra on television. She took her first acting role on the US programme American Dreams ("Charade"), where she played guitar and sang "Who Painted the Moon Black?".^[25] While she was being promoted in Los Angeles, Marc Johnston, senior VP/GM for the Universal Classics Group, said, "When she was out there, people were giving her scripts to read, and she had a few rather impromptu auditions. So some film and TV roles are currently in the works."^[21] In 2005, she was featured in the song "Bridal Ballad" recorded for the movie The Merchant of Venice.^[26] In 2006, she was featured on the motion picture soundtrack for The New World with the song "Listen to the Wind".

Westenra was the 2004 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards winner of "Highest Selling New Zealand Album" and "International Achievement Award".^[27] On 20 February 2004, Prime Minister Helen Clark awarded her for being the first New Zealand artist to receive the tenfold platinum status in the New Zealand market, where she held the number one artist position for 18 weeks.^[15] She has won two Japanese Grammies for her work (Song of the Year, "Amazing Grace" and Album of the Year, Pure). Her version of Amazing Grace was used as the theme song for the popular Japanese drama, Shiroi Kyoto (The White Tower). Hayley met the cast of the series during a promotional tour of Japan in October 2003.

Also in 2004, she began her world tour of New Zealand, Australia, Japan, USA and Britain, performing in a concert in November for Her Majesty The Queen, the Prime Minister Tony Blair, The Prince of Wales, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and the President at the time George W. Bush.^[28] In her autobiography, she remembered feeling more nervous in an audition where she sight read to Andrew Lloyd Webber an unreleased piece that he had written.^[1][29] On 28 July 2004, Westenra and American tenor James Doing staged Wisconsin concert with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and broadcast by Wisconsin Public Television.^[30] She concluded 2004 with a Christmas tour of the east coast of the United States as guest soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra.^[31]

In 2004, Westenra was recorded a live DVD, Hayley Westenra: Live from New Zealand, featured duet with baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes and soprano Sophie Westenra in St. James Theatre. David Horn, the producer of her live TV special, which aired on PBS' Great Performances, said, "Her singing is so gorgeous, it's reminiscent of the great boy-soprano sound of Anglican church choirs."^[12][21][32]

Westenra in 2010 Christmas Wishes concert tour(UK)

In 2005, she released a new album, Odyssey. A mix of classical, pop, Celtic, and New Age music, she co-wrote and arranged some of the tracks on the album, which was released in the United States on 18 October 2005. A more recent version of Odyssey containing several recordings not on the original album was released in the United Kingdom on 10 April 2006, her 19th birthday. On 18 December 2005, she made an appearance on Kurt Browning's programme Gotta Skate, in which she performed with Andrea Bocelli.^[33]

Westenra spent the first half of 2006 performing as a supporting act for the pop-opera quartet Il Divo on a worldwide tour, though in March she performed solo concerts in the US as well. That tour officially ended in June, but was then extended by six performances. She then held several concerts in the UK and Germany through the end of the northern summer.^[34] On 5 September 2006, Westenra was named as one of the ten outstanding young people in the world by the Junior Chamber International, becoming the first New Zealander so honoured.^[35]

On 13 November 2006 she participated in the dedication of the New Zealand War Memorial in London.^[36] Three of Westenra's great-uncles served in World War II; one was killed.^[13]

After releasing Pure, Westenra and her family moved to London. She continues to reside in a central London flat, even though her family subsequently returned home to Christchurch. Although she spent most of 2006 touring, she did visit them when her schedule allowed.^[37]

In August 2006, Westenra joined Celtic Woman^[38] and is featured on their second major DVD/CD album, Celtic Woman: A New Journey, which was released 30 January 2007 and immediately hit the Billboard Top 200 music chart at #4.^[39] She toured with the group in the United States in 2007, with scheduled appearances in 88 venues across the country; the tour ended in June.^[40][41]

Among 2006 Canterbury Festival (27 Oct), Westenra successfully staged Cathedral concert with tenor Alfie Boe in the Canterbury Cathedral.^[42]

Westenra's third international album, Treasure, was released on 26 February 2007 in the UK. All the songs on this CD were chosen by Westenra, who gave her record company "no say in the matter. I basically didn't let them in on what I was recording until the last minute so they had no choice. I didn't give them much room to disagree."^[43] Tracks on this album include "E Pari Ra", "One Fine Day", "Let Me Lie", "Danny Boy", and "Abide with Me". Westenra co-wrote four of the fifteen tracks, and the album also features singer Humphrey Berney. The US/Australia/NZ edition followed in March under the name Celtic Treasure. Westenra dedicated the album to her grandmother, Shirley Ireland. Inside the sleeve of the British edition, she wrote "I come from a musical family, and one with a real sense of history. My forefathers were on the maiden voyage from Ireland to Christchurch, New Zealand in 1850 – there's even a commemoration plaque in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, which bears the name Westenra. My grandmother used to sit me on her knee and sing songs like Danny Boy from as early as I can remember. A singer herself in her earlier years, she has always been a never-ending source of songs. It's this legacy of music that she's been passing down to me since my childhood, and it's many of these beautiful old songs that I've explored here on my album."

On the day before St. Patrick's Day 2007, she performed as part of Celtic Woman for President George W. Bush at the White House.^[44] She had plans to present the president with a petition to place a mandatory carbon cap on the United States.^[45] The goal of the petition was compliance with the commitment made by President Bill Clinton in previous years to follow the Kyoto Protocol.^[46] However, she was not able to present the petition because the president was rushed away after the concert, due to security concerns.^[47]

On 6 May 2007, Westenra was invited to the Crystal Cathedral as a guest performing "Abide with Me" on the Hour of Power American Christian television program, She performed there twice before, the first time singing "Amazing Grace", and the second time, "I Say Grace".^[48]

Westenra starred as Maria in the 2007 recording of West Side Story, which was released on 30 July.^[45] On 28 July, she starred in Woburn LIVE 2007, where she performed a selection of the music of West Side Story with the other recording artists, including Vittorio Grigolo, from the 2007 release.^[49]

Hayley Westenra 2009

In 2007, Hayley's vocals were featured in the soundtracks of the movie Flood and the television series, Jekyll, composed by Debbie Wiseman, in the UK.

In Nov 2007, Hayley Westenra successfully staged Japan "treasure" concert tour in Fukuoka, Sapporo, Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Yokohama, Hiroshima.^[50][51]

In June 2008, Hayley released an album for Japan, called Hayley Sings Japanese Songs. The songs include popular Japanese songs sung in English, and some in Japanese. Amazing Grace is performed as a duet with the late Minako Honda, in English and Japanese. A second Japanese album, Hayley Sings Japanese Songs 2, was released in March 2009, with a "mother" theme. All of the songs are about her gratefulness to her mother. She wrote, This album is dedicated to my loving mother...thank you.^[52] On 7 August, Westenra performed solo and duet with Dame Malvina Major at St James's Church, Piccadilly among ChristChurch Cathedral Choir 2008 UK Tour.^[53] On 17 August, Westenra participated in the tribute concert Lyrics by Don Black, which was held at the London Palladium and featured performances of Black's songs by a selection of guest artists. She sang the duet Amigos Para Siempre, the score of which was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Jonathan Ansell. The evening, hosted by Michael Parkinson was recorded by BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night and broadcast on 22 August 2008.^[54]