Maia Carran will play the bugle calls on an instrument belonging to her great-great-grandfather James Clapp, who served on the HMS Ajax in World War 1.
Mr Clapp immigrated to New Zealand after the war.
He gave the bugle to Maia’s grandfather David, who has played it at every Anzac Day for the past 60 years.
Maia said at last year’s Anzac Day services she had played the trumpet while her granddad played the bugle.
However, this year Maia would play the bugle because Mr Clapp was out of action after having his teeth removed.
‘‘I’m a bit nervous this time because I’m going to be on my own and I only played with Poppa for one year.’’
She will wear a Takaka Citizens Band uniform similar to the one Mr Clapp wears.
She had started learning the trumpet when she was 5.
A trumpet was easier to play because it had valves to press down to produce musical notes, Maia said. A bugler needs to make the notes using breath and lip movements.
She preferred the trumpet.
‘‘The most important thing to me is I get to spend time with my Poppa.’’
Mr Clapp said Maia showed an interest in the bugle when she was about 4 and asked to have a try at playing it.
‘‘She could make a noise, quite amazingly.’’
A year later, Maia asked him if she could learn to play and he warned her it would take hard work and effort.
‘‘Anyway, she’s done that and she’s done very, very well.’’
The pair have been meeting three times a week to practise since then.
Mr Clapp first played the Last Post at an Anzac service when he was 12 and, at the time, was told he was the youngest to do so. It was likely Maia would be the youngest now, he said.
His grandfather had entered the Royal Navy as a cabin boy aged about 12 and had played the bugle on the ship.
Maia’s parents, Katie and Chance, said they were very proud of their daughter.
Maia was able to read music before she was able to read books, Mrs Carran said.
