APRA Announces Maioha Award Finalists

The three finalists for the 2004 APRA Maioha Award for best waiata have been announced.

The three finalists are:

E Tae by Hareruia Aperahama

Takutaku by Whirimako Black & Anituatua Black

E Te Kai by Whirimako Black & Anituatua Black

The judges felt the waiata composition was flourishing, with an extremely high standard of entries in this, the second year of the award. The entries had to demonstrate passion and authenticity and strive to be an exciting piece of art. The three finalists all achieved this in their waiata, each demonstrating great musicianship.

The APRA Maioha Award will be presented at the prestigious invite-only APRA Silver Scroll Award evening at the Wellington Town Hall on Tuesday October 26.

Moana Maniapoto, Chair of the Maori Music Industry Coalition draws attention to the significance of the award being presented in Wellington this year.

"Wellington has long been a hotspot of creativity for the Maori music industry, particularly in the number of artists who recorded in Maori long before it became fashionable or even funded," she says.

"Last year’s winner, Ngahiwi Apanui, founded the Wellington-based band Aotearoa in the mid-eighties. And that spun off into at least 3 other entities that still record primarily in Maori."

The name Maioha embraces creativity and translates as "a spontaneous composition that reflects a deep emotional outpouring". The APRA Maioha Award is jointly administered by APRA and the Maori Music Industry Coalition.

The four other awards presented on the night are the APRA Silver Scroll Award, the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, the Most Performed Work Overseas and the Most Performed Work in New Zealand.

www.apra.co.nz