Otago Girls' High School welcomed back one of its finest former pupils and one of New Zealand's most renowned musical talents to open its new arts centre.
Dame Silvia Cartwright and Dame Malvina Major opened Te Toi Awiawi, The Otago Girls' High School Cartwright Arts Centre at the school yesterday.
Dame Silvia, an alumna of the school and former governor-general, said it was a "great privilege'' to have the centre named after her.
"I feel pretty overwhelmed by it,'' she said.
"I'm sure there's many, many, other names that could have been applied to it.
"I'm delighted this suite has been built and has my name attached to it.''
Dame Malvina said the school's emphasis on music was "fabulous''.
"It's amazing that these schools still have that much interest in music and the arts,'' she said.
"In some schools the music has gone out of the school, so I congratulate Otago Girls'.''
It was positive the school was providing every opportunity for pupils to excel in music and the arts, she said.
"If you don't give them the opportunity, you don't know whose going to make it,'' she said.
"And sometimes they don't know themselves if they are talented or if they have a gift, if they are passionate.''
Otago Girls' High School principal Linda Miller said she hoped the centre and its name would "serve as inspiration for the generations of girls who pass through the doors of the facility''.
Dame Silvia and Dame Malvina were "truly global leaders in their fields''.
The support of Dame Silvia throughout the years was appreciated, she said.
Dame Malvina being present to open the centre was a coup for the school.
"We could think of no better role model for our budding musicians and are deeply grateful for her attendance,'' Ms Miller said.
The opening of the centre marked "the culmination of four years of work''.
