MĀORI MUSIC MONTH 2017 CLOSES WITH SPECIAL CELEBRATION CONCERT

The second annual Te Marama Pūoro Waiata Māori (Māori Music Month) will be capped off this weekend by a special celebration concert in Napier.
 
Māori Music Month is run by the Waiata Māori Awards throughout the month of August to celebrate Māori Music.
 
The 2017 celebration concert takes place this Saturday from 11am at the Century Theatre in Napier and includes performances by:
 
- Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu

- Ngati Kahungunu Taikura

- Singer/songwriter Amba Holly (Winner Best Māori Female Solo, Waiata Māori Music Awards 2016)

- Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre presents Whakaaria Mai (world class Māori Dance Company that takes Māori Arts to the global stage)
 

About the Māori Music Month Celebration Concert
 
Date:            Saturday 2 September, 2017
Time:           11am
Venue:         MTG Century Theatre, Napier
Tickets:       Free entry!
                   Tickets available at Takitimu Performing Arts School and MTG Napier Museum.

FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2018 - APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

The Folk Alliance International Conference is the world’s largest gathering of the Folk music industry and community (crossing a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Indigenous, Old Time, Traditional, Singer-Songwriter, and Spoken Word).

The annual February conference (now in its 30th year) draws 2,700 artists and industry (agents, managers, publishers, labels, festival/venue presenters, promoters, media) dedicated to folk music. Delegates who attended the 2017 conference represented 27 countries including Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

FAI's Official Showcases are jury-selected nightly concerts that feature emerging artists and touring legends from around the world. They represent an unparalleled opportunity to perform for hundreds of festival and venue bookers, agents, managers, media, and music industry representatives who attend the conference.

Previous New Zealand showcasing artists include Mel Parsons, Delaney Davidson, and Marlon Williams.

DATE: February 14-18, 2018

LOCATION: Westin Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, MO, USA

The deadline for applications to showcase close September 13, 2017, at 5 pm CST.

For more information about applying to participate in the Folk Alliance International Conference visit: http://www.folkconference.org/OSAapp.html

FRAMED MUSICIANS OF AOTEAROA POSTERS UP FOR CHARITY AUCTION

Phantom Bill Stickers, leaders in the most music-friendly ad medium in the country, have gifted an exclusive set of their acclaimed NZ Music Month “Musicians of Aotearoa” poster series to The NZ Music Foundation for auction on TradeMe. The proceeds will help the charity to provide emergency assistance and counselling to kiwi music people experiencing illness and hardship and also help develop music projects in the community that positively change the lives of people in need. 

The fifteen posters are specially printed A3 copies of the “Musicians of Aotearoa” series displayed around the country during this year’s NZ Music Month in May. They are each presented in their own frames and will be progressively available for bid on TradeMe from this Wednesday. Three posters will be listed each week with Ronnie van Hout (Into the Void), Bill Vosburgh (Perfect Strangers) and George Henderson (The Puddle) kicking off the auction series.

“Musicians of Aotearoa” comprises 40 portraits made into posters of some of our best but maybe not best- known musicians. Photographers Hayley Theyers and Stuart Page visited the homes and studios of musicians around the country to shoot them for the posters. Phantom Bill Stickers managing partner Jamey Holloway says “Posters are the flowers of the streets; beautiful, vibrant and very of the moment. But they are also works of art and this is a perfect way for someone to take home and treasure some of the shit-hot images that Hayley and Stu have created. We’re damn proud to support The NZ Music Foundation who do vital work in the community and with kiwi musicians by providing these posters for auction.”

The New Zealand Music Foundation general manager, Peter Dickens, says: “We’ve loved the subject matter, the art and the impact these posters have had ever since they went up. We’re very grateful to the people of Phantom Bill Stickers for supporting us in this way. The proceeds will give a great boost to our work with kiwi music people and with people in the community who are at risk or suffering from health issues.”

The posters have a starting price of $15 and can be found at The NZ Music Foundation presence on the TradeMe website from Wednesday 28 June. The auctions will each be open for ten days and the winning bidders will be able to pay by credit card or direct transfer to the The NZ Music Foundation.

MUSIC IN PARKS 2018: ARTIST APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

New Zealand’s largest showcase of NZ music is back for summer 2018 and the Auckland Council are looking for emerging and established musicians from a variety of genres.

Artist applications are now open and they will close at midnight on Sunday 6 August, 2017.

Music in Parks 2017 was the most popular yet with over 70 artists and a record 46,000 people turning out to 24 free events around the Auckland region. Each season we seek to programme a line-up that provides opportunities to emerging artists and showcases the immense and diverse talent across Auckland and New Zealand. This much-loved series gives people the chance to see some of their favourite acts, and experience some new music, all for free in a variety of beautiful parks across the city.

Music in Parks welcome submissions from all artists (either born or currently residing here in NZ). Music in Parks continues to surprise and delight, and we are excited to see who will apply for this summer. Over the years, Auckland Council Music in Parks has seen top New Zealand artists perform such as Shihad, Anika Moa, Hello Sailor and Katchafire and nurtured the then-emerging talents of Evan Sinton (now MAALA), Villainy, Nomad and Sons of Zion. 
 
For more information about the series and to apply, visit www.musicinparks.co.nz

Notes for those thinking of applying:

• If your artist/band was programmed on the 2017 Music in Parks line up, it’s not likely they will be selected again in 2018. We aim to program a different line up each season that offers diversity and provides opportunities to as many acts as possible. It is for this reason we usually don’t book the same acts two seasons in a row.
• Only New Zealand artists (either born, or residing here) can apply. 
• Please familiarise yourself with the artists and events we had in 2017 to see if your act would be right for this series. We have left these tabs up on their website

BAND TOGETHER FOR A SUMMER OF MUSIC IN PARKS

New Zealand’s largest showcase of Kiwi music is back for summer 2018 and we are looking for emerging and established musicians from a variety of genres.

Artist applications open on 6 June 2017.

Music in Parks 2017 was the most popular yet with over 70 artists and a record 46,000 people turning out to 24 free events around the Auckland region.

Councillor Cathy Casey, Chair of the Community Development and Safety Committee, is enthusiastic about Music in Parks 2018 and says the team is excited to start organising next year’s events.

“Events like Music in Parks really highlight the level of talent we have within the New Zealand music scene. It gives artists and audiences the opportunity to discover Auckland, discover new music and rediscover favourites.” 

Music in Parks event organiser Amy Pollard is looking forward to finding more great talent.

“Each season we seek to programme a line-up that provides opportunities to emerging artists and showcases the immense and diverse talent across Auckland and New Zealand. 

“This much-loved series gives people the chance to see some of their favourite acts, and experience some new music, all for free in a variety of beautiful parks across the city.” 

“We welcome submissions from all Kiwi artists (either born or currently residing here). Music in Parks continues to surprise and delight, and we are excited to see who will apply for this summer.”

Over the years, Auckland Council Music in Parks has seen top New Zealand artists perform such as Shihad, Anika Moa, Hello Sailor and Katchafire and nurtured the then-emerging talents of Evan Sinton (now MAALA), Villainy, Nomad and Sons of Zion. 
 
Artists can apply online from 6 June. For more information about the series and to apply, visit  www.musicinparks.co.nz

CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN TO REACTIVATE RADIO ACTIVE

40-year old Wellington alternative radio station Radio Active 88.6FM has been given a new lease of life with the formation of a charitable trust to rescue the iconic station from imminent closure. A loud and proud supporter of local music and creative communities for four decades, Radio Active now calls upon its listeners and the wider Wellington community to donate in support of the station as it works back to financial stability.

In February, the station’s owners Radio Active Limited announced that the loss-making station would close unless new owners could be found. A group of ardent fans including past and present staff and DJs have banded together to form the Radio Active Charitable Trust, which took ownership of the station from 1 May. The trust is supported by a broader advisory panel drawn from Wellington’s creative arts and business communities, who will work together to develop a new vision for the station.

Having achieved its primary goal of keeping the station on air, Radio Active is launching an ambitious Givealittle campaign aiming to raise $88,600. Chairman of the Trust Ross Steele explains: “Thanks to half-a-dozen generous local donors who have pledged to help keep Active on air in the short term, we have three months to find our way from running at a loss to financial stability. Radio Active’s listeners can help us by donating to secure the station’s future as a vibrant voice in Wellington radio. We ask everyone who has enjoyed Radio Active over the past 40 years to give what they can to help reactivate Radio Active.”

One of the first radio stations in New Zealand to broadcast in FM stereo, Radio Active has long been recognised as the best independent broadcaster in the creative capital. Radio Active launched the careers of prominent broadcasters including Maggie Barry, John Campbell and Samantha Hayes, and continues to draw its unique sound from the passion and dedication of scores of volunteer DJs and music aficionados. As part of the Student Radio Network, the station has played an active role in promoting independent New Zealand music, breaking local acts like Shihad, Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Black Seeds and Phoenix Foundation onto the national scene. Radio Active continues to enjoy the support of NZ On Air and others as it provides a platform for up-and-coming and established local musicians. It enjoys a cult following overseas and has helped put Wellington and New Zealand on the music map, even catching the ear of legendary British musician and record producer Brian Eno, who listens online.

The Radio Active Charitable Trust thanks founding donors San Fran, Havana Coffee Works, The Mayor and Wellington City Council, Havana Bar, Fat Freddy's Drop, Rocket Fuel, The Random Group, Good Fortune Coffee and a number of private donors for their support. Please join them in funding a brighter future for Radio Active!

From Thursday May 25th Radio Active supporters near and far will be able to donate through the Givealittle website at www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/radioactive

Please give generously to help reactivate Radio Active.

THE E TU WHANAU SONG COMPETITION IS BACK!

Music has the power to move us, to make us laugh or cry, to capture our hearts and minds, and to inspire change. 

After great success in 2016, the E Tū Whānau Song Competition is back! The competition is being held once again during NZ Music Month in May, in conjunction with the network of Māori Radio Stations throughout Aotearoa. 

The competition provides participants with the opportunity to make a positive difference and to win some great cash prizes! (1stPrize $5000; 2nd Prize $2,000; 3rd Prize $1,000; Most Votes $2,000). 

Entry is open NOW and all you have to do is (1) write an original song inspiring positive change and incorporating one or more of the six E Tū Whānau values, (2) upload footage of the song being performed to YouTube (or a photo slideshow with the song is ok too), then (3) complete the online entry form on the E Tū Whānau Song Competition facebook page.  

When voting closes on 31st May the top 10 songs with the most votes will be judged to determine which songs receive 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. Judges Maisey Rika, Maaka McGregor, and Ranea Aperahama will judge songs entered based on originality and creativity, lyrics and musical composition, and how well a song reflects or relates to the E Tū Whānau kaupapa. Any musical style or genre is permitted.

Entry closes on 22nd May so entries need to be submitted sooner rather than later in order to get as many votes as possible before 31st May. Entrants must be NZ residents and aged 13 years of age or older.

It’s a great kaupapa and people who don’t enter can still get involved by voting each day in May for their favourite song entries, and to support and vote for whānau and friends who enter. 

For full competition info and rules, and to view and vote for entries received so far, go to the E Tū Whānau Song Competition facebook page.

E Tū Whānau is a movement for positive change in response to the levels of violence in NZ. It's about all of us taking responsibility to create the change we want, and nurturing and celebrating the things that make whānau strong. 

No matter how big or small, we can all make a difference and create positive change within our own whānau, hapū, iwi and community.

LAST DAYS – DON’T MISS OUT

Free Auckland Museum exhibition Volume receives international and local awards and nears 200,000 visits.

Auckland Museum’s free Volume: Making Music in Aotearoa exhibition has been named an Exhibition Media Award winner for its innovative blend of culture and technology at the international2017 GLAMi Awards, part of the Museums and the Web Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.

The GLAMi Awards celebrate the best innovations in the cultural sector worldwide, and the winners were selected by an international committee of judges from international institutions.

Auckland Museum on Thursday received the FINZ 2017 Excellence in Sponsorship Award from the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) for the Museum’s sponsorship relationship with Spark andVolume: Making Music in Aotearoa, Amplified by Spark. 

And Volume has just been announced as a finalist for Exhibition Excellence – Social History at the ServiceIQ 2017 New Zealand Museum Awards.

These awards acknowledge the innovative sponsorship from Spark which created an All Access Pass forVolume, bringing visitors closer to the exhibition stories and music by personalising their experiences in 14 interactive stations.  Visitors can access exclusive content like music clips and documentaries, put themselves onto the cover of Rip it Up magazine; or star in their own music video. 

Spark’s General Manager Customer & Marketing Clive Ormerod says, “It was awesome to hear from visitors to Volume that the digital technology supplied by Spark allowed them to experience the exhibition content in a really personal way.  So many people who made use of the All Access Pass and took away a collection of self-curated content from the exhibition, said they kept learning and reliving the experience after leaving the exhibition.”

Closing in just two weeks on Sunday May 21st, the popular, free exhibition has seen around 200,000 visitors enjoy its 200 objects -costumes, instruments, handwritten lyrics and images generously loaned by some of our best loved musicians. 

The interactive spaces include a recording studio where visitors can produce a song by music legend Che Fu; a DJ booth where you can mix beats to tracks by artists like Ladi6, P-Money, and Scribe; an authentic 1980s record store; a replica of a 1970s pub venue where you can learn to play Dragon’s iconic hit ‘Rain’ and dance along with go-go girls on the set of 1960s TV show C’mon.

Museum Director Dr. David Gaimster says the exhibition has been a huge success. “Volume has been one of our most popular exhibitions with visitors. The seven-month exhibition has been a chance to forge new partnerships in innovation, technology and entertainment to provide cutting-edge experiences for our visitors and tell the stories of New Zealand’s rich musical past and present,” he says.

Volume has been developed in partnership with the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame Trust (Recorded Music New Zealand and APRA AMCOS).

The exhibition is free with museum entry (free for Aucklanders) and is open for two more weeks until Sunday May 21st. A range of specially created merchandise is available from the Volume Pop Up Store and is now on sale.