Final preprations being made to 2011 awards

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, September 5, 2011

Final preprations being made to 2011 awards

A live, medley performance featuring the cream of Maori music is likely to be part of the finale being planned for this year’s National Waiata Maori Music Awards, which takes place in Hawke’s Bay this week.

The final touches are now being put on this year’s awards production which will be held at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House on Thursday evening.

The Waiata Maori Music Awards is a two-day event and it all starts with the Maori Music Expo on Wednesday, followed by the Te Koanga Fashion Show on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday morning the Celebrity Breakfast With The Stars will be held, featuring keynote speaker Mahora Peters, co-founder of the Maori Volcanics showband, and then the expo continues during the day.

And then on Thursday evening the wait will be over for 18 finalists who will gather inside the opera house theatre to hear the names of the winners be announced at the Waiata Maori Music Awards ceremony.

Those performing or involved in this year’s two-day event will take their final rehearsal at the opera house tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6.

This year’s performers at the awards ceremony include Moana Manipoto, Anika Moa, Ardijah, Ria Hall, Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre and the Red Thunder dance group from Canada.

Young Wanganui guitarist Jeremiah Peipi will open the awards ceremony with violinist Elena, an international performer and member of the Vector Wellington Orchestra. Jeremia, 17, won the regional Smokefree RockQuest competition in 2010 with his band Dub CC.

He also won the Ratana Paa 2011 Talent Quest and it was his performance there on guitar which caught the eye of the Waiata Maori Music Award organisers.

Waiata Maori Music Awards producer Robert Hagen says the set for the show has been built in Lower Hutt, at Avalon Studios, and is being transported to Hastings today.

“We are retaining some of the elements from last year’s show and we’ve added some new elements to assist us, and to help us change the acts over quickly.

“We’ve had some mobile instrument riders made which will help move items like drum kits, keyboards and guitars easier than last year when it took a bit of time to change over for the next performer.”

Robert says the aim is to make the production “a slick show” but still retain its “Maoriness”.

“It’s very easy to fall into the trap of making it look like something like the Grammy Awards, there are elements of that but at the end of the day we have to remember that we are making a show for television and we have to be mindful that it has to reflect Maori culture and Te Reo Maori,” he says.

The final scripts for the awards ceremony MCs, William Winitana and Te Hamua Nikora have been written while the video and audio packages for each finalist are ready to go, the packages will be shown on screen at during the awards ceremony.

“There has been some original music written for the opening title to the awards show and it is a cross over of contemporary Maori music using traditional Maori music instruments

“This year we have also managed to encourage the artists to perform with the house band (OnTheOne) rather than to a backing track. Now there’s nothing wrong with that (backing track) but I am from the old school where people like to see performers sing to live music.”

The awards ceremony will conclude with a duet to be performed by Frankie Stevens and Taisha Tari and will be followed by a medley featuring a host of Maori singers who will be attending the show.

Details are being kept under wraps until the awards ceremony evening.

Frankie Stevens will be at the awards to accept a Maori Music Industry Award, in recognition of his contribution to the music industry. He will also speak at the Maori Music Expo which will be held during 9am to 3pm, this Wednesday and Thursday.

Taisha Tari is the Waiata Maori Music Awards ambassador and a former award winner.

The 2011 finalists who have confirmed they’ll attend the awards include Anna Coddington, Sheree Waitoa, Mina Ripia, Ngatapa Black, Dennis Marsh, Selwyn Rawiri, Kahu Waitoa, Ngahiwi Apanui, Wake Matthews (Unidub), Tyna Keelan (The NOK), Benita T (NRG Rising), Te Omeka and Isaiah Perkins (House of Shem), Steven Babbington (Box Juice).

Tiki Taane will be represented by family members. Jayson Norris who is based in London will be represented by his manager Mikee Tucker. Katchafire will be represented by the band’s lead singer Logan Bell’s partner, Manawa Bell.

Last year’s four-time award winner, Maisey Rika, will also be attending the show.

ends

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