The best of classical, celtic, & classical crossover

Biography from www.celticwoman.com & edited/added to by me.

Hayley first recorded an album in 2000, at age 13. She used it to get a contract with Universal music, with whom she released two more albums, both of which are fairly rare today. Then she got hired by Decca to release an international album, which became known as "Pure" & was released all over the world.

The three years since the release of Hayley Westenra's debut international album "Pure" have been a whirlwind. Along with her second album "Odyssey" she has achieved combined sales of over three million albums around the world making her a household name in many countries and breaking umpteen records along the way. 'Pure' is still the fastest-selling classical album in the history of the UK charts and Hayley is also the best-selling classical artist in Japan. Probably most important of all, 'Pure' is the best-selling album of all time in New Zealand. It also made the top 10 national pop charts in 11 countries. Even more significant is that the young soprano achieved all of this before her 19th birthday.

Despite all of this success, Hayley still remains the same unaffected down-to-earth girl from Christchurch, New Zealand (where her family from Monaghan/Laoise travelled on a maiden voyage from Ireland in 1848). Even though she has an incredibly busy schedule, she still finds time to dedicate a great deal of energy to her role as the youngest Unicef Ambassador in the world. Her time in Ghana inspired her to initiate her own UNICEF “Bikes For Ghana” campaign.

She also has a deep interest in music therapy and is patron of the Raukaturi Music Therapy Centre in Auckland. The Centre uses the Nordoff Robbins method in using music as therapy for children with autism and other severe physical, intellectual and emotional disabilities. Hayley has appeared on both the BBC in the UK and CNN in the US with her own news features aimed at raising awareness in the benefits of music therapy. Coincidentally, in a recent survey on music therapy by a British Medical Journal, Hayley's voice was described as having the most "calming and therapeutic quality " of all music tested (including Mozart!).

She requires a quite different quality in her voice when she performs at any of the numerous sporting events around the World, which have included football (the FA Cup Final, in The Champions League for Celtic) baseball (the NBA in the US), Tennis (The Mercedes Cup in Los Angeles) and what is her proudest duty, singing the New Zealand anthem for her beloved All Blacks rugby team before their victories over the British Lions, Wales and England.

Hayley is in great demand as a duet partner and has sung with, among others, Jose Carreras, Bryn Terfel and Andrea Bocelli and recently toured with Il Divo . PBS recorded an hour long “Great Performances” TV Special in New Zealand last year. It was whilst recording another TV Special in Canada with Andrea Bocelli that Hayley saw the first Celtic Woman Special and became an immediate fan .Although currently in the middle of recording her third album , she jumped at the chance when invited to join the Celtic Woman project .

2007 was a great year for Hayley. Treasure, or Celtic Treasure, was released in February & March 2007. That year she preformed with Celtic Woman in North America, with Dave Dobbyn (Kiwi rocker, although from some pics you'd think SHE was the rocker!) at her Kiwi Ceili, in the UK/Ireland, & in Japan. Hayley played Maria on the 50th anniversary recording of West Side Story. She released her autobiography in October & a Japanese album called "Prayer" in November.

2008 has just begun, but Hayley has used it well. She had a series of concerts in New Zealand in January & February, nearly all were with Dave Dobbyn & one featured popera singer Elizabeth Marvelly. She will be touring in the UK/Ireland & Japan later this year, & prehaps will visit Australia & North America at sometime as well. But she's not just touring. Hayley, turning 21 on April 10th, will be releasing her fourth international album in the Northern Hemisphere's autumn. Also, there will be another Japanese album released sometime this year.

Hayley hasn't turned 21 yet but she's done more that the average 21 year old has.

More information about Hayley can be obtained on her website www.hayleywestenra.com

2007.
Prayer
West Side Story
Treasure/Celtic Treasure
Celtic Woman: A New Journey
2006.
Crystal
Odyssey Re-release
2005.
Odyssey
2004.
DVD Live From NZ
2003.
Pure
2002.
My Gift to You
2001.
Hayley Westenra
2000.
Walking in the Air

UK Tracklisting
1. Let Me Lie
2. Le Note Del Silenzio
3. Shenandoah
4. Whispering Hope
5. Summer Rain
6. Danny Boy
7. One Fine Day
8. Santa Lucia
9. The Heart Worships
10. E Pari Ra
11. Sonny
12. Summer Fly
13. Melancholy Interlude
14. Bist Du Bei Mir
15. Abide With Me
bonus version also has "The Last Rose of Summer" and "Jekyel"

UK version (original)
1 Prayer   
2 Dell' Amore Non Si Sa    
3 Never Saw Blue  
4 Ave Maria (Caccini)  
5 What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)  
6 Quanta Qualia   
7 Both Sides Now    
8 May It Be  
9 Bachianas Brasileiras  
10 Bridal Ballad  
11 Mists of Islay  
12 O Mio Babbino Caro  
13 Laudate Dominum  
14 Wiegenlied  
15 She Moves Through The Fair  
16 Dido's Lament