05 October 2023 - 0 Comments
The 58th Annual APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka were held at Spark Arena in Tāmaki Makaurau last night, a wonderful celebration of Aotearoa songwriters, composers, and award winners.
The event was opened with a beautiful welcome/mihi whakatau by Hātea Kapa Haka and hosted by the incredibly entertaining Bella Kalolo and Mātai Smith. With over 500 guests in attendance, it was an exciting and uplifting gathering including spectacular performances curated by 2023 Music Directors Steph Brown and Fen Ikner (Lips). Performers included: Anna Coddington, Jujulipps, Half Hexagon, Koizilla, Majic Paora, Samara Alofa, Francesca Parussini, Isla Noon, Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, and Jed Parsons, with Steph and Fen occasionally joining the stage.
The 2023 Silver Scroll Award Kaitito Kaiaka winners were Elizabeth Stokes, Jonathan Pearce, Tristan Deck, and Ben Sinclair of The Beths (pictured). Their song Expert in a Dying Field was among 20 incredible tunes put forward to the New Zealand APRA membership (songwriters and composers) to decide who deserved the prize.
It was a long-awaited win for the globally
recognised indie rockers who have reached the Top 5 list many times now.
Unfortunately, they were unable to attend the awards as they are back on a
lengthy tour across the U.S, but APRA were able to catch them before they left,
to announce them as winners and offer them their special moment in lieu of
attending the ceremony. Watch their acceptance
speech here. Expert In A Dying Field was performed by Tāmaki Mākaurau experimental electronic songwriter and
producer Samara Alofa with a 6-piece band.
Don McGlashan was celebrated tonight and welcomed into the NZ Music Hall of Fame | Te Whare Taonga Puoro o Aotearoa. Don has been a specially recognised songwriter, advocate, and leader in the New Zealand music community who has reached across a broad spectrum of genres and musical spheres. Music Directors Steph and Fen curated fantastic performances in honour of Don: the legendary The Mutton Birds song The Heater was performed by Anna Coddington & The Appreciations featuring comedy dance ensemble Dynamotion; The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra and Vera Ellen paid tribute by performing Andy by The Front Lawn; and the night was closed with an epic performance of Tomorrow Night by Jed Parsons. Watch the official tribute video from the awards show.
Neo-soul artist Mohi Allen took home the 2023 APRA Maioha Award tonight for his heartfelt waiata ‘Me Pēhea Rā’ co-written with Hēmi Kelly, Amy Boroevich (Hina), and produced by Noema Te Hau III. The waiata was created at the 2022 Reo Māori SongHubs, a songwriting camp curated by Bic Runga and Sir Tīmoti Karetu. Me Pēhea Rā was performed tonight by Tāmaki Mākaurau vocal powerhouse Majic Paora.
The SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha was awarded to Victoria Kelly for her expansive piece Requiem, arranged for soprano, tenor, choir and orchestra. With Requiem, Victoria set out to create a transient space where time is suspended, with each movement based on a different poem by Bill Manhire, Sam Hunt, Ian Wedde, Chloe Honum, and James K Baxter. Requiem was reinterpreted and performed by the Francesca Parussini Ensemble.
Multi-award-winning composer Karl Sölve Steven has scooped up yet another APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award | Tohu Pūmanawa for his work on The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%!. The film is based on the bestselling book of the same name by Mark Manson and has been turned into a brutally honest self-help documentary.
APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award | Tohu Paerangi was awarded to Pōneke/Wellington-based composer Tom McLeod for his tense, string heavy score on Blood, Sex and Royalty. The show is a modern take on the British royal drama cut with contextual commentary and offering a window into the lives of history's most iconic monarchs. Tom has been a finalist multiple times for the APRA Screen Awards and has previously won this award twice for TV comedy Girl Vs Boy.
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