Latest news with #SmokefreeRockquest
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Rotorua Smokefree Rockquest: Taupō's Pocket Watchers win regional final
After gaining first place at the regional Smokefree Rockquest, 16-year-old Leroy Walker (saxophone and backing vocals in the Pocket Watchers) said: 'Everyone was so cool and amazing'. 'We thought everyone today deserved a great chance at it, I wish them all the best of luck in their futures. It's just a great event.' Second in the band category was Nga Kai Kiore from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Huiarau. The top spot of the solo-duo category went to Mikayla Edwards, from Tauhara College, and second place to Floss Savanah and John Tamuno from John Paul College. All four Smokefree Rockquest place winners now have the opportunity to submit a video of their original material for selection as one of the top 15 national finalists to play off at the national finals in September. The Smokefree Tangata Beats regional winners are Kotahi te Rā from Rotorua Boys' High School. They now go into the selection process for the national final of Smokefree Tangata Beats, at Auckland's ASB Theatre on September 13. RQP co-founder and co-director Glenn Common said the next stage of the programme offers new opportunities for development, building on what the entrants have already experienced. 'Preparing their performance helps develop their musicianship, songwriting, and performance skills. For bands and duos, it's a collaborative effort that builds teamwork and important life skills, like communication. 'All entrants are learning valuable lessons in setting goals and experiencing the sense of achievement that comes from creating something and showcasing it.' The full list of awards for Rotorua 1st place Band - Pocket Watchers, Taupo-Nui-A-Tia-College. 2nd place Band - Nga Kai Kiore, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Huiarau. 3rd place Band - Rau Huia, Rotorua Boys' High School. 1st place Solo-Duo - Mikayla Edwards, Tauhara College. 2nd place Solo-Duo - Floss Savanah and John Tamuno, John Paul College. 1st place Smokefree Tangata Beats (band) - Kotahi te Rā, Rotorua Boys' High School. Musicianship Award - Te Ruanuku Teka from Mad Machines, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Huiarau. Musicianship Award - Revamp, Taupo-Nui-A-Tia-College. Smokefree Best Vocals Award - Te Uamairangi Webster-Tarei from Kotahi te Rā, Rotorua Boys' High School. ZM Best Song Award - Angelica, John Paul College. APRA Lyric Award - Tiffany from Stuck In A Smile for Echo In The Room, Reporoa College. Rockshop Electronic Assist Performance Award - Angelica, John Paul College. The tour continues with regional events, leading to the Smokefree Rockquest national final on September 20, following the Smokefree Tangata Beats national final on September 13, both in Auckland.
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Shouting Out, Singing In: Rockquest At Parliament
Article – RNZ In Parliament, MPs were shouting about pay equity and wildlife protection – next door, the mood was more upbeat and louder. , Editor: The House Last Wednesday at Parliament was unusually fraught. The House was under urgency and debating whether to walk back pay equity legislation and rework wildlife protection law to ease infrastructure projects. By the time the House reached its dinner break, a change of energy was more than welcome. Luckily, in the room next door (the old upper chamber), a function was launching the nationwide school-age performing arts event that began life as the Smokefree Rockquest. Top Shelf are from Manurewa High School. They beat nearly 900 bands to be crowned the 2024 winners of both Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats, and were one of the acts performing in Parliament's Legislative Council Chamber. Rockquest alumni Top Shelf again. You can't smash together hip-hop and big-band without a brass section. Shaneya Bayaban and Louise Ponifasio on brass, and bassist Ashton Emerson contributing vocals and volume. In another corner of the Top Shelf combo, Taparia 'Taps' Engu shreds guitar on his knees (of course). Taparia also won the inaugural Chloe Wright Scholarship, a three-year tertiary education grant. Rockquest isn't all senior college students. It has a sibling contest for junior students – Rockshop Bandquest. The combo Sweater Weather from Porirua's Rangikura School secured second place in the Rockshop Bandquest National Finals in 2024 with a rock/hip-hop/kapa-haka combo vibe, Including guitars obviously… Sweater Weather had an all-female front four. This photo shows the temporary performance stage, smack in front of the Legislative Council Chamber's 'throne zone', from where the sovereign would address Parliament. Not a bad location. Youth does not preclude speed. This Sweater Weather frontwoman is a rapid chopper. Because this was the launch of the 2025 edition of Smokefree Rockquest, Bandquest, Showquest, Toi, Tangata Beats and Onscreen, speeches were inevitable. Pete Rainey is one of the founders of Rockquest and was a teacher back in 1989, when he and others expanded the competition beyond Christchurch. Another alumni, Emerson was the solo/duo winner in 2024. Her song 'Bored' also won ZM's Best Song award at the National Final. Whenever an event like this comes to Parliament – and a lot do – it is 'sponsored' by an MP. You can't do much better than the landlord. Speaker Gerry Brownlee was quite obviously impressed with his guests. Troy Kingi was a Rockquest competitor in 2002. Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is one of many examples of highly successful artists whose early careers have included a tilt at a Smokefree Rockquest title. He has now acted in numerous films, won two Vodafone NZ Music Awards and a Taite Music Prize. In 2020, he was awarded the Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori Artist Residency at Government House. Another alumnus, Georgia Lines won the Smokefree Rockquest in 2014 and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards. National MP Paul Goldsmith is a keyboardist himself, so probably appreciated a return to the 'me and my keyboard' format. The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage showed his loyalty on the day with a NZ Music Month pin. Among the recently added competitions is one for wearable arts. There are also contests for video production and stills photography. Both were on show in Parliament's Grand Hall and the outcomes were impressive. To round off the evening, as MPs were back next door to debate the protection of wildlife, Wellington Girls' College student Greer Castle added some smooth jazz and R&B originals.
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Shouting Out, Singing In: Rockquest At Parliament
, Editor: The House Last Wednesday at Parliament was unusually fraught. The House was under urgency and debating whether to walk back pay equity legislation and rework wildlife protection law to ease infrastructure projects. By the time the House reached its dinner break, a change of energy was more than welcome. Luckily, in the room next door (the old upper chamber), a function was launching the nationwide school-age performing arts event that began life as the Smokefree Rockquest. Top Shelf are from Manurewa High School. They beat nearly 900 bands to be crowned the 2024 winners of both Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats, and were one of the acts performing in Parliament's Legislative Council Chamber. Rockquest alumni Top Shelf again. You can't smash together hip-hop and big-band without a brass section. Shaneya Bayaban and Louise Ponifasio on brass, and bassist Ashton Emerson contributing vocals and volume. In another corner of the Top Shelf combo, Taparia 'Taps' Engu shreds guitar on his knees (of course). Taparia also won the inaugural Chloe Wright Scholarship, a three-year tertiary education grant. Rockquest isn't all senior college students. It has a sibling contest for junior students - Rockshop Bandquest. The combo Sweater Weather from Porirua's Rangikura School secured second place in the Rockshop Bandquest National Finals in 2024 with a rock/hip-hop/kapa-haka combo vibe, Including guitars obviously... Sweater Weather had an all-female front four. This photo shows the temporary performance stage, smack in front of the Legislative Council Chamber's 'throne zone', from where the sovereign would address Parliament. Not a bad location. Youth does not preclude speed. This Sweater Weather frontwoman is a rapid chopper. Because this was the launch of the 2025 edition of Smokefree Rockquest, Bandquest, Showquest, Toi, Tangata Beats and Onscreen, speeches were inevitable. Pete Rainey is one of the founders of Rockquest and was a teacher back in 1989, when he and others expanded the competition beyond Christchurch. Another alumni, Emerson was the solo/duo winner in 2024. Her song 'Bored' also won ZM's Best Song award at the National Final. Whenever an event like this comes to Parliament - and a lot do - it is 'sponsored' by an MP. You can't do much better than the landlord. Speaker Gerry Brownlee was quite obviously impressed with his guests. Troy Kingi was a Rockquest competitor in 2002. Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is one of many examples of highly successful artists whose early careers have included a tilt at a Smokefree Rockquest title. He has now acted in numerous films, won two Vodafone NZ Music Awards and a Taite Music Prize. In 2020, he was awarded the Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori Artist Residency at Government House. Another alumnus, Georgia Lines won the Smokefree Rockquest in 2014 and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards. National MP Paul Goldsmith is a keyboardist himself, so probably appreciated a return to the 'me and my keyboard' format. The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage showed his loyalty on the day with a NZ Music Month pin. Among the recently added competitions is one for wearable arts. There are also contests for video production and stills photography. Both were on show in Parliament's Grand Hall and the outcomes were impressive. To round off the evening, as MPs were back next door to debate the protection of wildlife, Wellington Girls' College student Greer Castle added some smooth jazz and R&B originals.
RNZ News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Shouting out, singing in: Rockquest at Parliament
Top Shelf are from Manurewa High School, and 2024 winners of both Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Last Wednesday at Parliament was unusually fraught. The House was under urgency and debating whether to walk back pay equity legislation and rework wildlife protection law to ease infrastructure projects. By the time the House reached its dinner break, a change of energy was more than welcome. Luckily, in the room next door (the old upper chamber), a function was launching the nationwide school-age performing arts event that began life as the Smokefree Rockquest. Top Shelf are from Manurewa High School. They beat nearly 900 bands to be crowned the 2024 winners of both Smokefree Rockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats, and were one of the acts performing in Parliament's Legislative Council Chamber. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Rockquest alumni Top Shelf again. You can't smash together hip-hop and big-band without a brass section. Shaneya Bayaban and Louise Ponifasio on brass, and bassist Ashton Emerson contributing vocals and volume. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith In another corner of the Top Shelf combo, Taparia 'Taps' Engu shreds guitar on his knees (of course). Taparia also won the inaugural Chloe Wright Scholarship, a three-year tertiary education grant. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Rockquest isn't all senior college students. It has a sibling contest for junior students - Rockshop Bandquest. The combo Sweater Weather from Porirua's Rangikura School secured second place in the Rockshop Bandquest National Finals in 2024 with a rock/hip-hop/kapa-haka combo vibe, Including guitars obviously... Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Sweater Weather had an all-female front four. This photo shows the temporary performance stage, smack in front of the Legislative Council Chamber's 'throne zone', from where the sovereign would address Parliament. Not a bad location. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Youth does not preclude speed. This Sweater Weather frontwoman is a rapid chopper. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Because this was the launch of the 2025 edition of Smokefree Rockquest, Bandquest, Showquest, Toi, Tangata Beats and Onscreen, speeches were inevitable. Pete Rainey is one of the founders of Rockquest and was a teacher back in 1989, when he and others expanded the competition beyond Christchurch. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Another alumni, Emerson was the solo/duo winner in 2024. Her song 'Bored' also won ZM's Best Song award at the National Final. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Whenever an event like this comes to Parliament - and a lot do - it is 'sponsored' by an MP. You can't do much better than the landlord. Speaker Gerry Brownlee was quite obviously impressed with his guests. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Troy Kingi was a Rockquest competitor in 2002. Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is one of many examples of highly successful artists whose early careers have included a tilt at a Smokefree Rockquest title. He has now acted in numerous films, won two Vodafone NZ Music Awards and a Taite Music Prize. In 2020, he was awarded the Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori Artist Residency at Government House. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Another alumnus, Georgia Lines won the Smokefree Rockquest in 2014 and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith National MP Paul Goldsmith is a keyboardist himself, so probably appreciated a return to the 'me and my keyboard' format. The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage showed his loyalty on the day with a NZ Music Month pin. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Among the recently added competitions is one for wearable arts. There are also contests for video production and stills photography. Both were on show in Parliament's Grand Hall and the outcomes were impressive. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith To round off the evening, as MPs were back next door to debate the protection of wildlife, Wellington Girls' College student Greer Castle added some smooth jazz and R&B originals. *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
