Anna van Riel is an award winning singer/songwriter, performing artist and vocal coach.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

With 6 studio albums under her belt, Anna van Riel is best know for her performances in the folk realm, and has been an international touring artist since the early 2000's.

Anna has toured across North America, Australia's East Coast, New Zealand and Europe. She has even performed for Prince Albert of Monaco....twice!

As a rurally-based musical artist and a mother of two, Anna's resourceful approach to maintaining a career in the arts has lead her down a colourful and eclectic trail. Always leading with a community building focus, Anna has toured through earth homes, permaculture farm, churches and community halls.
Incorporating her vocal workshops into her tours, and loads of audience participation in her show, Anna grows her creative family wherever her music takes her.

2024 brings her 7th studio album and her first grown-up album in a decade.

Inspired by folk, vintage jazz and blues and storytelling, this new body of work is set to be the glue that connects Anna to the next phase in her musical journey.

VOCAL COACHING 

Based in the foothills of Lake Hāwea, Anna runs a vocal coaching practice from her studio in the mountains.

Her focus as a teacher is on teaching vocal mechanics, posture and breathwork, empowering students to find their true and powerful voice and become their own best vocal coach.

Anna offers dynamic 2hr singing and public speaking workshops targeted vocalist wanting to understand how to care for, maintain and get the best out of their vocal instrument.

Head to Nook Road Productions for more details on 1:1 voice coaching and workshops with Anna.

WASTE FREE WANDA 

After a hiatus in the children's music sector, Anna has now merged her love of tragic 80's pop-rock with kaitiaki/planet care to create her powerhouse one-woman stage show Waste Free Wanda.

Coined as "Flight of the Conchords meet Captain Planet, the show is humorous, interactive and full of Kiwi-isms. Waste Free Wanda teaches primary-aged tamariki how to make 'simple swaps' around single-use items, encouraged a shift to reusables, and empowering children to understand the solutions, rather the problem when it comes to caring for Papatūānuku.

 The Waste Free Wanda show has now reached over 15,000 children and their parents and teachers in the Deep South of New Zealand and now offers a preschool adaptation to share waste free philosophies to the early learning sector.

For more info head to the Waste Free Wanda website. 

LEADERSHIP & CHARITABLE TRUSTS

With a passion for both the creative sector, environmental sustainability Anna van Riel has worked on and founded charitable trusts in Aotearoa.

Hawea Playgroup- Cutting her teeth in her formative days of leadership, Anna learned the foundations of charitable service with her role on the Board of Trustees for Hāwea Playgroup. The BOT played a key role in, not only sustaining the operations of this thriving space, but also conituing the upkeen of the beautiful historic building that houses the Hāwea Playgroup. Anna time included a stint as chair and lead her to understand her passion for work that benefits community, and incorporated creativity. A mover and shaker in the events and planning realm, Anna was fundamental in launching an annual commnunity garage sale and entertainment day for the good folk of Hāwea.

Plastic Free Wanaka- In 2016 a trip to the supermarket inspired Anna van Riel to play an active role in the reduction of single-use plastics in her community. Her efforts launched the, now prolific and influiential, social enterprise Plastic Free Wānaka. Known for providing dynamic community engagement, this non-profit played a pivitol role in eliminating single-use shopping bags from supermarkets across Aotearoa. PFW have rolled out a cup swap scheme across the town and shared their model to towns across the country. Their Waste Free Fair inspired businesses and a circular economy that has helped Wānaka to gain it's identity as NZ's most waste-free town.

Following an 8-year service, Anna retired from the board of directors in late 2023,  to pursue her role on her newly-founded environmental arts trust The Wanda Foundation.

Kiwi Kids Music- Always a dabbler in children's music, Anna took to the Australasian music scene in 2014 with her award-winning album 'Cooking up a song'. After being shoulder tapped multiple times by iconic Kiwi children's tv presenter Suxy Cato, Anna finally joined the KKM Charitable Trust in 2016. During her time on the board Anna played a key role in advocating for the children's sector. Along with her team, she campaigned for better funding opportunity for artists and a music awards ceremony for children's music providers. She was elected chair in 2020 and retired from the board in 2021 following a 6 year service. 

The Wanda Foundation- Focused on 'Inspiring Positive Environmental Change Through The Arts'  The Wanda Foundation (TWF) Charitable Trust was founded in July 2021 by Anna van Riel, and was inspired by it's namesake, environmental superhero Waste Free Wanda.

Made up of 6 trustee, Anna sits as a non-trustee member, in her role at Creative Executive Entertainment Officer, a role coined especially for her skill set.
Anna brings a cornucopia of expertise in the creative sector. 
A keen events coordinator and passionate about advocating for artists, the trust acts as an umbrella for artists wishing to access a broader array of funding.  TWF is developing services around mentoring for creatives to support advancement for artists budding to established.

In 2024 TWF is excited to be collaborating with other creative trusts in the Deep South to deliver art experiences for community that raises enviromential awareness.

Find out more by heading to www.thewandafoundation.org.nz