Iona Panoho is 18 years old and has grown up surrounded by music and performance. She started learning classical piano (she passed grade 8 piano at just 14 years old) and gradually added other instruments along the way. It was while learning classical ballet that she discovered the joy of performing; it is the thrill of live performance and the ability to move an audience she finds very rewarding. Iona had achieved Level 3 Certificate in Singing Performance Grade 8 with Distinction, a Queen Elizabeth II Award for Excellence in Music and Singing (Marlborough District Council) and BRSM Level 4 Diploma in Singing Performance (ARSM) with Distinction, she has also been the Marlborough Civic Orchestra's vocal soloist from 2017-2019. Iona also is involved in local theatre and tutors’ younger performers helping them to achieve their goals in the performing arts. Iona will attend Matala, the first tertiary Performing Arts course to be run in Blenheim by Fua Creative to further her education and experience in the Performing Arts locally. After this she has performance plans both locally and nationally with a view to perform internationally and to also be teaching her craft.