Editing Hayley Westenra (section)

==Early life==
Westenra was born on 10 April 1987 at Christchurch Women's Hospital in [[Christchurch]], New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 April 1987 |title=Births |pages=37 |work=[[The Press]] |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1987/04/13/37}}</ref> Her parents, Gerald and Jill Westenra, have other children. Sophie is an academic and teaches law at [[University of Oxford|Oxford]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ms Sophie Westenra|url=https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/people/sophie-westenra/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113162723/https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/people/sophie-westenra/|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2020|access-date=2020-09-22|website=St John's College|language=en}} </ref> Westenra's grandmother Shirley Ireland was a singer, and her grandfather was a pianist who also played the [[piano accordion]].<ref name="DVDLIVE1">{{cite video |title=[[Live from New Zealand|Hayley Westenra: Live from New Zealand]] |medium=DVD |year=2005 |publisher=Universal Music}}</ref> She has [[Irish New Zealanders|Irish]], [[Dutch New Zealanders|Dutch]] and [[English New Zealanders|English]] heritage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cmusic.tv/?id=41&afc=128&tid=171 |title=Hayley Westenra |publisher=CMusic.tv |access-date=30 January 2009}}</ref><ref name="ny_times_article_1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/25/style/a-night-out-with-hayley-westenra-almost-a-diva.html |title=A Night Out With – Hayley Westenra; Almost a Diva |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Linda |last=Lee |date=25 April 2004 |access-date=9 November 2008}}</ref>

She began performing at age six in the Christmas play<ref name="DVDLIVE1" /> at her school, [[Fendalton Open Air School]].<ref name="wing_named">{{cite news |url=http://www.classicalx.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=895 |title=Cobham music wing named for Hayley |work=[[The Press]] NZ |date=24 April 2007 |access-date=26 August 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080313153745/http://www.classicalx.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=895 |archive-date = 13 March 2008}}</ref> After the show, a teacher said she was "pitch perfect"<ref name="DVDLIVE1" /> and encouraged Westenra to learn how to play a musical instrument; soon after she learned to read music and play the violin, piano, guitar, and [[Recorder (musical instrument)|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,<ref name=DVDLIVE1 /> and was often given male parts.<ref name=cbs_online_article_1>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hayley-westenra-teen-angel/ |title=Hayley Westenra: Teen Angel |publisher=CBS News |first=Ellen |last=Crean |date=3 March 2006 |access-date=11 January 2007}}</ref> Westenra attended [[Cobham Intermediate School]] in 1998 and 1999, where a performing arts building was later named in her honour.<ref>{{Cite sign |title=Hayley Westenra Suite |date=23 April 2007 |type=Plaque outside performing arts building |publisher=[[Cobham Intermediate School]] |location=[[Bryndwr]], Christchurch}}</ref>