Latest news with #SmokefreeTangataBeats
NZ Herald
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Smokefreerockquest East Coast heat finalists moving on to regional final
The top 12 East Coast bands that will perform at the regional final for Smokefreerockquest have been decided. The next step is for them to battle it out to decide the top two bands, top solo/duo acts and Smokefree Tangata Beats award winners, who will represent the region at the
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.
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Trust hands out more than $1.1 million in grants to community organisations
Grants of more than $1.1 million have been made by the Otago Community Trust in its latest funding round. The Otago Community Trust will distribute $1,177,317 to 35 community groups around the region. Up-Cycles Charitable Trust received $8000 to expand its Community of Bike Ambassadors programme. The programme equips young people with cycling skills, leadership abilities and first aid knowledge, enabling them to assist others on Central Otago's cycle trails. "We are aiming to deliver to 60 rangatahi this year, which will undoubtedly make a difference in our community," project director Chris Foggin said. "We have already seen attendees from previous cohorts using their skills on our trail network." The programme will be delivered to six schools across Central Otago. Each ambassador receives equipment such as a first aid kit, backpack and cycle tools. After the devastating fire at Lake Ōhau in 2020, the Ōhau Conservation Trust began the Avoca Forest restoration project. Planting of the native forest has been under way since 2022 and an additional boost of $3000 has been granted to continue its development. The funding will support the creation of recreational spaces, installation of plant identification signs and equipment for volunteer activities. Since the project began, volunteers have planted 4481 native plants and created 1140m of walking track in this valued community space. Eleven social service organisations received a total of $824,700 to support their work in the community. Otago Youth Wellness Trust was awarded $119,700 to support its Wraparound and Rangatahi group service, which provides integrated support for young people with high and multiple needs. Southern Youth Development received $94,500 for its Rangatahi Success and Wellbeing programmes, which offer employment, education opportunities and personal development for young people aged 12-24. Age Concern Otago was granted $68,250 to continue its services supporting older people. The arts sector, particularly music, also received support in this funding round. Musical Theatre Dunedin was awarded $15,700 to assist with staging Chess The Musical , continuing its nearly 100-year tradition of producing quality amateur theatre in Dunedin. Chamber Music NZ received $11,800 to support the chamber's 2025 programme. Rockquest Charitable Trust was granted $9000 to hold Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats events in Otago, providing young musicians with professional performance experience. Choirs Aotearoa NZ Trust ($5000) and Central Otago Regional Choir ($2500) received funding to support singing initiatives and concert series across multiple Otago locations. Otago Community Trust Grants Alexandra Life Education Trust Heartland Otago Southland $13,000 Up-Cycles Charitable Trust $8000 Central Otago Regional Choir $2500 Dunedin Pinc and Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation $3000 Aukaha (1997) Ltd $56,550 Stopping Violence Dunedin Inc $30,000 Green Island School $3000 Musical Theatre Dunedin $15,700 Catholic Social Services $68,250 Presbyterian Support Otago $84,000 Otago Youth Wellness Trust $119,700 Anglican Family Care $89,250 Methodist Mission Southern $78,750 Southern Youth Development $94,500 Prisoners' Aid and Rehabilitation Society — Otago (Pars) $12,500 Te Hou Ora Whānau Services $84,000 Dunedin Poultry, Pigeon & Cage Bird Club $2717 Swing Riot Dunedin $4000 Otago Chinese Professionals Association $750 Chisholm Park Golf Club $6500 Milton Tokomairiro Community Recreation Centre $5000 Oamaru Ōhau Conservation Trust $3000 Otago Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand $145,000 Choirs Aotearoa NZ Trust $5000 Girl Guides Association New Zealand $2500 Rockquest Charitable Trust $9000 Salvation Army New Zealand $45,000 Age Concern Otago $68,250 Able — Southern Families Support $63,000 Chamber Music New Zealand Trust $11,800 Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) $1000 Epilepsy Association of New Zealand $5000 Wānaka Wānaka Search and Rescue $20,000 Tarras Community Church Charitable Trust $11,500 Lake Hāwea Community Centre $5600 — APL
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.
