Lake Hāwea artist Anna van Riel is an award-winning songwriter with a passion for folk, blues and jazz.
With a music career spanning over 20 years, Anna has performed at the world's highest musical festival in Ladakh, across two summers in the Cote d' zur, through earth homes and permaculture farms in North America and through festivals across the East Coast of Australia. She has even performed for Prince Albert of Monaco...twice!
Anna originally hails from Invercargill; where she was inspired by the musical theatre and performing arts scene. She moved to Central Otago in her adolescence where she developed her vintage-folk fusion sound. Anna considers herself a resident of the Deep South and is serial-collaborator across the community. Her vinyl collection reflects inspiration from the greats, such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Lamontagne and Little River Band.
Throughout the year Anna tours her original 80's-inspired one-woman stage show for children called Waste Free Wanda, empowering tamariki how to reduce single-use waste on the planet, while infusing them with actions and 80’s-inspired power anthems that support them to remember simple tools on how to care for our planet.
Trained in vocal mechanics and breathwork, Anna delivers 1:1 coaching from her Hāwea voice studio, and runs both singing & speaking workshops across the South of NZ, supporting speakers and singers to find their true voices. A passionate veggie gardener and homesteader, Anna grows food on the family property where she lives with 3 generations, including her handsome husband and two children.
Often performing with her ukulele band, The Synergy, Anna's compositions weave storytelling with imagery, inviting audiences to journey with her through song. Following a sabbatical in the children's-music sector, Anna is back en force, and sporting a deeper, fuller vocal range and a brand new repertoire. Anna is currently working on her 6th studio album.
Venue: The hall is situated up the long driveway, directly next to Domain Park, and there is plenty of well-lit off-street parking.
Doors open 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm - online bookings will close 2 hours prior to the event start time. After this time only door sales will be available on the night and will be dependant on the number of seats available in line with the Hall capacity.
LIMITED DOOR SALES AVAILABLE IF ONLINE SALES ARE NOT SOLD OUT.
Please note that Door Sales are CASH ONLY: Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break, also bar facilities for cold refreshments throughout the night, Eftpos available at the bar for purchases only, no cash-out facility.
Folk Club and Irish Society members please remember to bring your membership card for licensing purposes. Non-members sign in at the bar if making purchases.
