Finalists have been shortlisted for The APRA Maioha Award, the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award and APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award.
They will all be presented at an awards ceremony at Vector Arena in Auckland on Thursday, September 29.
APRA MAIOHA AWARD - The APRA Maioha Award recognises exceptional waiata featuring te reo Māori.
Rob Ruha is a finalist for the award with his song ‘Kariri’, a powerful and stirring waiata that retells historical accounts of the battle of Pukehinahina (Gate Pa) and Te Ranga.
IHI has also been short-listed for ‘Mana Whenua’ co-written by Thomas Rawiri and Mokoia Huata. The song echoes the proverb ‘Toi Tu te Whenua, whatungarongaro te Tangata’ or ‘For without land there would be no people’. It serves as a poignant reminder of the need to protect our natural environment.
Kirsten Te Rito is the third finalist with her waiata ‘Tamaiti Ngaro’, co-written with James Illingworth and Joseph Te Rito. ‘Tamaiti Ngaro’ is an atmospheric, slow-building anthem tinged with touches of electronica.
SOUNZ CONTEMPORARY AWARD - The SOUNZ Contemporary Award celebrates excellence in contemporary composition.
The finalists for the award this year includes Kenneth Young, whose illustrious career in New Zealand music spans four decades, for his composition ‘Piano Trio’. Prodigious Wellington composer and violinist Salina Fisher is also nominated for ‘Rainphase’ and Chris Cree Brown, an Associate Professor at the School of Music at the University of Canterbury, makes the short-list for ‘Viola Concerto’.
APRA BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A FEATURE FILM AWARD - A host of well-known names in Kiwi music are up for the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award.
Three members of the Wellington-based indie-pop band The Phoenix Foundation (Samuel Scott, Lukasz Buda and Conrad Wedde) are nominated for their work on Taika Waititi’s box office smash, Hunt For The Wilderpeople.
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper and Tama Waipara also make the shortlist for Mahana (The Patriarch), directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Temuera Morrison.
Tom McLeod rounds off the finalists with The Art of Recovery, which tracks the devastation of Christchurch in the 2011 earthquake to the city’s regeneration.
APRA BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A SERIES AWARD - The APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award will also be presented on the night.
In the running for the prestigious award are Karl Stevens for 800 Words, Age Pryor for Jiwi’s Machines and Tami & Jay Neilson for The Brokenwood Mysteries.
FULL LIST OF FINALISTS – 2016:
2016 APRA SILVER SCROLL AWARD
Lydia Cole – ‘Dream’ – Lydia Cole
The Phoenix Foundation – ‘Give Up Your Dreams’ – Samuel Scott, Lukasz Buda, Conrad Wedde, William Ricketts, Thomas Callwood, Christopher O’Connor
(Native Tongue Music Publishing)
Thomas Oliver – ‘If I Move To Mars’ – Thomas Oliver (Mushroom Music Pty Ltd)
Street Chant – ‘Pedestrian Support League’ – Emily Littler, Billie Rogers, Alex Brown, Christopher Varnham (Arch Hill Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing)
Tami Neilson – ‘The First Man’ – Tami Neilson, Jay Neilson
APRA MAIOHA AWARD
Rob Ruha feat. Tiki Taane – ‘Kariri’ – Rob Ruha
IHI – ‘Mana Whenua’ – Thomas Rawiri, Mokoia Huata
(Woodcut Productions / Waatea Music)
Kirsten Te Rito – ‘Tamaiti Ngaro’ – Kirsten Te Rito, James Illingworth, Joseph Te Rito
SOUNZ CONTEMPORARY AWARD
‘Piano Trip’ – Kenneth Young
‘Rainphase’ – Salina Fisher
‘Viola Concerto’ – Chris Cree Brown
APRA BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A FEATURE FILM AWARD
Hunt For The Wilderpeople – Samuel Scott, Lukasz Buda, Conrad Wedde
(Native Tongue Music Publishing)
Mahana (The Patriarch) – Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper, Tama Waipara
The Art Of Recovery – Tom McLeod
APRA BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC IN A SERIES AWARD
800 Words – Karl Steven (Native Tongue Music Publishing)
Jiwi’s Machines – Age Pryor
The Brokenwood Mysteries – Tami Neilson, Jay Neilson
All awards will be presented at the 51st annual APRA Silver Scroll Awards at Vector Arena on Thursday 29th September.