APRA Announces Silver Scroll Finalists For 2004

The finalists for the APRA Silver Scroll Award for 2004 have been announced.

The six finalists are:

Shayne Carter, Andy Morton and Ned Ngatae (Dimmer) for Getting What You Give

Liam Finn (Betchadupa) for The Bats of Darkwell Lane

Rodney Fisher, Murray Fisher, Michael Beehre and Gareth Thomas (Goodshirt) for Fiji Baby

Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots) for Home Land and Sea

Scribe and P-Money (Scribe) for Not Many

Marshall Smith (The New Freedom) for Grey Boy

The Silver Scroll Award, presented since 1965, is the pre-eminent award for song-writing in New Zealand. In what promises to be the highlight of 2004's musical calendar, the line-up of six outstanding finalists will be celebrated at a prestigious awards evening at the Wellington Town Hall Tuesday October 26.

With a record number of entries received this year, the anonymous judging panel decided to nominate an unprecedented six finalists for the award.

Judges consider only the creative distinction of the song, assessing both the musical and lyrical content in equal proportion. The commercial success of the song is irrelevant.

At a time when discussion about New Zealand music is focused on ensuring that great writers, artists and producers get the experience, support and exposure they need, the APRA Silver Scroll Award celebrates and focuses the nation’s attention on exactly those qualities that make New Zealand music so special and so deserving of wider exposure.

"The fact that APRA’s membership is at present increasing by at least one new member a day speaks volumes about the incredibly healthy state of music making in New Zealand," says Healey.

The Most Performed Work Overseas Award and the Most Performed Work in New Zealand Award will also be presented on the night, alongside the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, recognising creative excellence by a NZ composer and the APRA Maioha Award, presented for the best Maori waiata of the year. A unique feature of the Awards night is the finalists' songs being performed and interpreted by their contemporaries, under the musical directorship of composer Victoria Kelly.

www.apra.co.nz