The Opera School motto in Latin is ‘Nihil tumultus tantum opera’ which translated is ‘Minimum fuss, maximum work’ and the New Zealand Kokako is chosen for the logo because it has beautiful, clear, organ-like song. It can carry over great distances. Every Kokako population has its own distinctive song a phenomenon which many consider analogous to human dialects Pianist David Kelly © Christine Syme
 

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David Kelly was a finalist in the National Secondary Schools' Chamber Music Competition, and the recipient of an Exhibition Award from Trinity College before entering University. He studied at the University of Canterbury with Diedre Irons and Dr. Maurice Till, and was awarded the Cynthia Magner Scholarship. While studying he also worked as an accompanist and coach at the university, as well as with the Christchurch City Choir, Christchurch Symphony and NASDA.

In 2006 David became a PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist for The NBR New Zealand Opera. In 2007 he was invited to pursue an opportunity with the Australian Opera Studio in Perth, Western Australia, where he was repetiteur for La Finta Giardiniera, La Clemenza di Tito, and Idomeneo (Mozart), Die Dreigroschenoper (Weill), Haensel und Gretel (Humperdinck), L'Etoile (Chabrier), Mozart and Salieri (Rimsky-Korsakov), Mavra (Stravinsky), and La Voix Humaine (Poulenc).

Since returning to New Zealand he has been active as an accompanist and coach, including work at the University of Auckland, the NZ Opera School, and as coach and accompanist for The NBR New Zealand Opera. He performs regularly as a chamber musician and with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. David has been principal repetiteur for NBR New Zealand Opera's productions of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Verdi's Macbeth and Handel's Xerses as well as chorus repetiteur for L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Cavelleria Rusticana (Mascagni) and I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo).

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