Five years later, she has gained a top grade in the 2007 International English Language Testing System and has bowed her way to a string of successes playing the cello.
Every morning, the Japanese 19-year-old is up with the rising sun, doing her cello practice for two hours before breakfast.
Long hours in the rehearsal room have resulted in her becoming a member of the Southern Sinfonia, principal cellist of the Dunedin Youth Orchestra and she has been a member of the winning ensembles at the Otago Secondary Schools Chamber Music competition for the past four years.
Last year she represented Otago in the national final of the competition.
Without music, Nanae says it would have been difficult to develop her English skills and make the friends she has all over the city.
"It's a universal language. Everyone can relate to music."
Having mastered the Kiwi vernacular, Nanae has branched out and is learning French, which she is studying at NCEA level 3.
But her main passion in the classroom is for numbers - namely statistics, calculus and physics.
They are the building blocks of a career in engineering and she hopes to study the subject at a British university next year.
Nanae says the biggest challenge on her horizon will be to find a university where she can also study music.
Achievements: Otago Secondary Schools Chamber Music competition winner (2004-08); Australian Music Board Grade 8 (2004); Dunedin Youth Orchestra Young Musician's Award (2007); Dunedin Arts Competition Most Promising Performer Award (2007); Academic (2007) and Arts (2005-07) Blues Awards; 1st Otago Mathletics Competition (2005) and 3rd (2007).
Role models: "People with strong opinions."
Hopes for the future: To study engineering and music.