Fresh New Home for NZ’s Indigenous Music Expo

MEDIA RELEASE
18 December, 2012
**APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN (UNTIL 8 JAN) FOR MUSICIANS KEEN TO BE SELECTED AS A SOUNDS AOTEAROA SHOWCASE ARTIST.**
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT http://soundsaotearoa.com/register/

SOUNDS AOTEAROA
TIHI PRODUCTIONS (AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND)

Sunday 10 March – Monday 11 March, 2013
Aotea Centre, Auckland

FRESH NEW HOME FOR NEW ZEALAND’S ONLY INDIGENOUS MUSIC EXPO

New Zealand’s only indigenous music expo, Sounds Aotearoa, will take place on Sunday 10 and Monday 11 March as part of Auckland Arts Festival 2013.

After three years in Taranaki, this successful event is moving to Auckland to become an ongoing feature in the Festival. The relocation is designed to deliver the thriving arts and culture expo, and some of the country’s best Māori and Pacific performers, to the widest possible audience and to allow more artists to participate.

Featuring two days of expo-style business-networking events, exhibition booths and speaker seminars, as well as special showcases by musicians and performers, Sounds Aotearoa invites audiences to journey into a world of contemporary Māori music, to experience the musical mastery of a multitude of Māori and Pacific musicians, and provides networking and learning opportunities for indigenous musicians.

According to Sounds Aotearoa Creative Director, Emere Wano, “For Māori and Pacific musicians, Sounds Aotearoa is the place to stay connected with each other and find out what is happening in the music industry, both in NZ and off-shore. The event is designed to support Māori and Pacific musicians and professionals in their work and help the New Zealand music industry produce and showcase the very best indigenous talent.”

The pulse of Sounds Aotearoa is the expo of exhibition booths hosted by individuals, organisations, businesses, non-governmental agencies and government departments, all of whom service the music and arts industry.

The speaker seminar series covers areas of interest to those in the live music scene, ranging from presentations by some of the world’s music festival directors, to practical sessions on legal issues surrounding the music industry, music distribution and funding avenues for NZ music and musicians.

Then, Sounds’ music showcase programme features a selection of short live performances by Maori and Pacific musicians, with information sessions about each artist. At the showcase, visitors can experience Aotearoa’s unique and special sounds, from traditional Te Reo Maori performers to contemporary bands, vocalists and musicians. Five artists or bands will be featured on each day of the event.

Wano said, “Showcase artists get the opportunity to perform in front of international and New Zealand programmers, bookers, festival directors, venue managers and a general audience. Being a showcase artist is like hosting your own gig for all the right people.”

According to David Inns, Chief Executive of Auckland Arts Festival, “Sounds Aotearoa has a unique place in the New Zealand and global music scenes. The move to align with Auckland Arts Festival is an exciting one for us – one that we hope will provide an even bigger platform to help escalate the many talented Māori and Pacific musicians in this country onto the international stage.”

For more information including ongoing updates of speakers and events, please visit www.aaf.co.nz
www.aaf.co.nz

You fullas really know how to put on a successful event! Thank you again for including Bushys in your programme – bring on the world! – Warren Maxwell, Little Bushman (former showcase artist)

Sounds Aotearoa was such an awesome event and we gained a lot out of it. Meeting a lot of people within the music industry that we hadn’t met until Sounds Aotearoa, at the one place, was vital to expand our knowledge in this cut-throat industry. – Bossy Hill, Manager – Maisey Rika (former showcase artist)

EVENT DETAILS

With support from Creative New Zealand

ENDS

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