Anne Filimoehala
Music Director
Anne Filimoehala was raised in a musical family and entered the world of brass bands at the age of six. Since then, she has built a distinguished career as both a performer and conductor, grounded in excellence and community.
Anne has performed with numerous brass bands across Tāmaki Makaurau and currently serves as 1st Horn for North Shore Brass, earning multiple regional and national awards. She has represented Aotearoa as a member of the National Secondary Schools Brass Band and the National Youth Brass Band, and will make her debut with the National Band of New Zealand in 2026.
In 2021, Anne graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the University of Auckland, majoring in Classical Violin Performance under the tutelage of Mark Bennett. Her musical career spans performance, conducting, and education.
From 2023 to 2025, Anne was an Associate Conducting Fellow in the prestigious NZSO Conducting Fellowship Programme. She has toured with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra to Tonga and throughout the upper North Island, conducted the Auckland Philharmonia, and collaborated with a wide range of ensembles across the Tāmaki Makaurau community.
As a Music Director, Anne is deeply committed to music education and accessibility. She is passionate about empowering communities through meaningful music-making and takes great pride in nurturing the growth, confidence, and success of the ensembles she leads.
Ammon Pulu
Programme Administrator
Born and raised in Ōtara, Ammon has dedicated his time and talents from a young age to serving his community, particularly through the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Youth Council (TOP SQUAD), of which he was a founding member.
Ammon has had the privilege of working alongside some of South Auckland's most influential leaders, including Lotu Fuli, Reece Autagavaia, Swanie Nelson, Vasa Fia & the late Efeso Collins, and the late Victoria Taupau.
Ammon continues to make a meaningful impact by playing a central role in the success of the Sistema Aotearoa programme. In this capacity, he manages key administrative tasks and provides vital resources to support both students and staff, ensuring the programme runs smoothly.
Mae Wiperi
Kaiāwhina
A welcoming smile, an attuned and conscientious listener, Mae Wiperia is an important part of the delivery team. Mae, is parent of three ākonga in the programme and is the welcoming face at the registration desk each day. Mae looks after the student attendances, ensures smooth communication with our parents, and runs the child refreshments – she’s a certified food handler too! What a great lady.
William Kingi
Youth Advisor
William Kingi (Will) is a passionate advocate for empowering young people through music and leadership development. As the Youth Advisor at SISTEMA Aotearoa in Ōtara, Auckland, Will plays a vital role in fostering youth leadership and providing pathways for young Pasifika musicians. His work is centred on ensuring that young people feel seen, heard, and equipped with the skills to become future leaders within their communities.
In his leadership role at Sistema Aotearoa, Will oversees the youth outreach programme and the overseas excursion programme, providing young people with unique opportunities to broaden their horizons and develop their musical and personal skills. His work is driven by the belief that music can be a powerful tool for personal growth, community empowerment, and social change, and he strives to create an environment where every young person is encouraged to think deeply about how they can contribute to their community.
“My mission is to empower young people by helping them discover their strengths, develop their talents, and prepare them for leadership roles in the future,” he says. “I aim to create a space where youth voices are not just heard but valued, and where cultural identity plays a central role in their development.”
Will’s commitment to youth development is informed by his own experiences and values. He brings a wealth of experience in community arts, music education, and youth leadership, which he has honed over a decade of work both in Aotearoa and internationally. Prior to hiswork at SISTEMA, Will coordinated the Pacific Festival of Brass and a youth internship programme aligned with Auckland’s UNESCO City of Music Strategy and also works as the Pasifika Navigator for Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand.
Iain Rea
General Manager
Iain has played cello since he was in Year 7, playing in school and later, city orchestras. He plays in DCO, a community orchestra, and a weekly quartet. He has a background in arts, media and entertainment and is passionate about community development and the role the arts play in bringing all voices to concert.
Iain’s role is to support the staff to deliver the Sistema Aotearoa programme in Ōtara and surrounds, encouraging musical excellence within a joyful, safe and supportive atmosphere that in turn encourages the personal growth of young people, empowering families and communities.
Shona Roberts
Partnerships
Having grown up in a family that had a rehearsal stage in the basement, it was no surprise when Shona began to work in the arts. She has held senior roles in a variety of organisations, including Auckland Arts Festival, where she was Business & Finance Director for 14 years. At New Zealand Opera she was Director of Artistic Operations, and has also been the Manager of Uxbridge – Howick’s Creative Centre. During a stint in Australia she ran a programming department at the Sydney Opera House and worked for the youth sail training ship Young Endeavour. She’s thrilled to be supporting Sistema Aotearoa’s partnerships.
Justin Michael Ng
Tutor
Justin has been an integral part of Sistema Aotearoa since 2012, initially starting as a tutor. He then took on the role of Programme Support Assistant for five years, followed by Programme Coordinator, before stepping into the Administrator position. Throughout these roles, Justin has continued to teach, supporting students in their musical and personal growth.
Now focusing exclusively on tutoring, Justin has played a key role in ensuring the smooth running of the programme by managing essential administrative tasks and providing resources that support both students and staff. He is passionate about fostering a positive, engaging environment in which young musicians can thrive, both in their musical development and within the wider community.
Claire Scholes
Tutor
Claire Scholes is a composer and mezzo soprano from Manawatū who is based in Auckland.
Notable performances of her compositions include Drag Concerto starring the fabulous Anita Wigl’it (Auckland Chamber Orchestra, 2024); The Kiri Masterclass (Opera Factory, 2013); Live Drag (New Zealand Opera, Auckland Pride 2018); Cuba on Cuba (Sounz Commission for Orchestra and Sistema Youth Orchestra 2019, Orchestra Wellington and Arohanui Strings). Claire has worked as an orchestral arranger for Hinewehi Mohi, Six60, Adeaze, Titanium, Maisey Rika, and the Auckland Philharmonia percussionists. She was composer for animated films Rip Drip Tear, and The Story of Percival Pilts. Claire was the New Zealand composer at MODART07 in Sydney where vocal ensemble The Song Company premiered her piece Epicene Women. She has had pieces commissioned by the Jade Quartet, Solaris Trio, Kahu, King’s College, Carncot School, Ponsonby Primary School, Diocesan School for Girls, and included in the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music exam syllabus; and her compositions have been performed by the Auckland Chamber Orchestra and workshopped by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Her choral music has been conducted by Dr. Karen Grylls; and her string music published in the Prairie Dawg Press Anthology of Violin Music by Women and the Anthology of Viola Music by Women, both compiled by Dr. Cora Cooper of Kansas State University.
As a mezzo-soprano Claire has been a Freemasons Artist with New Zealand Opera, sings with the New Zealand Opera Chorus, and is a former member of the New Zealand Youth Choir. She has performed to over 200 New Zealand primary schools as a touring singer for Class Act Opera. Claire has also worked as an opera reviewer for Radio New Zealand Concert. She has performed as a soloist with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, Stroma, The Handel Consort and Quire, The Karlheinz Company, Manawatū Sinfonia, Franklin Community Choir, and The Committee, and has been a finalist and prize-winner in numerous aria competitions, including the Lockwood New Zealand Aria.
As a teacher Claire has been a mentor for the NZSO Todd Young Composer Awards; guest vocal tutor with the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir; and loves working with Ōtara’s young musicians at Sistema Aotearoa.
Jamie Ashworth
Tutor
Jamie grew up in a deeply musical family, with many relatives working in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) and others pursuing successful careers overseas. Surrounded by music from an early age, she developed a profound passion for it, especially for the violin. Jamie began playing the violin at just four years old and has since earned grades 1–8 in both Violin and Singing, as well as a Performance Certificate in Singing. While she enjoys playing the viola, her primary instrument remains the violin.
Her musical journey has been rich with experience, shaped by years of performance in various orchestras and choirs throughout primary school, intermediate, and at Westlake Girls High School. During her time at Westlake, Jamie competed in prestigious events such as the KBB Music Festival and Big Sing, where her school earned gold awards year after year. She also achieved 1st place in both the North Shore and West Auckland singing competitions.
Through her involvement in orchestras and choirs, Jamie has developed a strong understanding of ensemble playing, musicianship, and performance confidence — skills she is now passionate about sharing with her students. She believes that learning music is not only an invaluable skill but also a deeply therapeutic experience.
Winiata Walker
Tutor
Winiata Walker is a cellist based in Auckland. He studied a bachelors degree in Music Performance with a specialisation in Cello at the University of Auckland. Winiata has been working with Sistema Aotearoa since 2021, where he is dedicated to inspiring and supporting young musicians through high-quality music education and ensemble performance. Passionate about both performance and teaching, he is committed to fostering musical growth and creating meaningful musical experiences within the Ōtara community.