Finalists Announced For 2022 APRA Maioha Award, SOUNZ Contemporary Award, And APRA Screen Awards

Some of New Zealand’s finest songwriters and composers have been shortlisted for four prestigious awards to be presented at the 2022 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka.

The APRA Maioha Award, SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha, APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award, and Best Original Music in a Series Award will all be presented at Spark Arena in Auckland on Tuesday 18 October.

APRA Maioha Award

The APRA Maioha Award recognises the art of contemporary Māori music and honours songwriters who are telling their stories in the language of te ao Māori.

2022 finalists:

• E Hine Ē written by Em-Haley Walker, performed by TE KAAHU
• Rangatira/Owner written and performed by Ria Hall translated by Teraania Ormsby (published by LOOP Publishing Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing)
• Te Iho written by Aja Ropata, Byllie-Jean Zeta, Chris Wethey, performed by AJA & Byllie-Jean

Em-Haley Walker AKA Theia (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tīpa) has made the shortlist for her dreamy waiata ‘E Hine Ē’. This was the second single to emerge from reo Māori project TE KAAHU and is the second track on debut album Te Kaahu O Rangi. ‘E Hine Ē’ was written and produced by Walker and elevates the beautiful wāhine in our lives. Watch the official video here filmed by Frances Carter.

Award-winning bilingual songwriter, performer and composer Ria Hall (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tuwharetoa) has been selected as a finalist for her waiata ‘Rangatira’ a translated version of political anthem ‘Owner.’ Ria’s soulful melodies are strong against beat-driven reggae while unapologetic about the difference between Western and indigenous worldviews. Watch the official lyric video here.

Compelling R&B waiata ‘Te Iho’ makes the shortlist written by Aja Ropata (Te Atiawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Raukawa), Byllie-Jean (Ngāti Pahauwera, Ngāti Whatuiapiti, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga), and Christchurch-based songwriter/producer Chris Wethey. ‘Te Iho’ praises the essence of powerful wāhine Māori, using poetic language to express the importance of women. Watch the official video here.

SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha

The SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha is New Zealand’s premier composition award, celebrating excellence in contemporary composition.

2022 finalists:

• ‘more full of flames’ and voices by Neville Hall
• ‘Manaaki’ by Phil Brownlee, Liane Taikao (Ariana Tikao)
• ‘Catalogue’ by Reuben Jelleyman

Neville Hall, a second-time finalist for the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, has been nominated for his work ‘more full of flames and voices’, a trio for clarinet, accordion and cello. Neville Hall says, “more full of flames and voices was written for the excellent young Slovenian ensemble Trio Tempestoso. It was composed in 2021, immediately after I finished work on my orchestral composition so flamed in the air, which was a finalist in last year’s SOUNZ Contemporary Award, so it’s not surprising that the two works share certain characteristics, despite the difference in the scale of the instrumental resources.”

Reuben Jelleyman (finalist for the 2015 and 2021 SOUNZ Contemporary Award) has been nominated for his orchestral work ‘Catalogue’. Reuben explains “Catalogue was written for the ensemble Multilatérale to complete my masters at the Paris Conservatory. The piece is quite a chaotic collision of my musical explorations during my studies, and yet, it’s hardly the conclusion to anything. It’s more of an explosive start: there are things in the piece that are a little out of control and struggling to find their place. For me that’s quite exciting.”

The Wellington-based Philip Brownlee and Ariana Tikao are first-time finalists as composing collaborators for the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, and have been nominated for their work ‘Manaaki’, for taonga puoro and string quartet. Brownlee says, “It’s a work that’s really open to creative input from its performers – we’re grateful to Horomona Horo for his role in the process, and really looking forward to seeing how the work develops in future performances.”

APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award | Tohu Pūmanawa

2022 finalists:

• Dana Lund and Horomona Horo for Whina
• Karl Steven for The Justice of Bunny King
• Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Night Raiders

APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award | Tohu Paerangi

2022 finalists:

• Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Wellington Paranormal
• Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi, Stephen Atutolu for The Panthers
• Claire Cowan for One Lane Bridge

Dana Lund sees her second APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award | Tohu Pūmanawa nomination, alongside Horo Horomona (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki) for their work on Whina, a retelling of the legacy of Dame Whina Cooper. Lund’s string-heavy score envelopes the viewer during moments of deep emotion, while seeding a sense of unnerve for what is to come. Recognised internationally for his invaluable knowledge of ancient Māori instruments, Horomona perfectly weaves taonga puoro into the compelling score of Whina.

Karl Steven is no stranger to the Tohu Pūmanawa, having successfully won the award in 2021, 2019, 2017 & 2016. This year, he returns for his work on The Justice of Bunny King. Bunny King is a mother of two, a rough cut diamond with a sketchy past. While battling the system to reunite with her children, a confrontation leads her to take her niece Tonyah under her wing. As shown through his extensive catalogue, Karl is a thoughtful collaborator and passionate storyteller who brings to Bunny King, like all his works, an original perspective and sensitive ear.

Moniker AKA New Zealand-based film and television composers, Samuel Flynn Scott, Lukasz Buda, and Conrad Wedde are finalists in both Screen categories this year. Their compositional work on dystopian film Night Raiders and popular horror comedy series Wellington Paranormal highlights their unique and distinctive sound. Moniker is a trio of accomplished musicians and composers whose range includes everything from orchestral compositions through to eclectic synth tracks and ripping refrains on the guitar

Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff (choicevaughan), Troy Kingi (P. Smith) and Stephen Atutolu (Diggy Dupé) are finalists for their incredible mahi on The Panthers, a gripping mini-series recounting the work of the Polynesian Panthers amidst the controversial dawn raids. The powerful and raw combination of mana heard from Crayford, Tashkoff, Kingi and Atutolu is immersive, unwavering and at times shocking. “The series was always intended to have a powerful musical element,” say The Panther’s creators Tom Hern and Nua Finau, and this nomination reflects that intention being met in its entirety.

Rounding out the finalists today for Best Original Music in a Series Award is the renowned Claire Cowan. With a raft of recognition already under her belt, Cowan's latest nomination solidifies her as a front runner of composition in Aotearoa. Cowan’s work on One Lane Bridge, a series that follows a young Māori detective through a spiritual awakening while working on an airy investigation, makes her a real contender for this year's Tohu Paerangi.

All awards will be presented at Spark Arena in Auckland on Tuesday 18 October.

The awards are proudly supported by NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho

With thanks to Hallertau

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