PROJECTS

In late March 2024, Song Conversations ran a Youth Music Collective for 6 weeks at Te Whai Community Trust. New bands were formed, a sense of community with musicians offering time and instruments so rangatahi could continue their passion. In May, 5 youth bands performed at their own Youth Vibes festival with prizes, food and loads of good vibes from whanau and the community. 

The Youth Music Collective fostered collaboration that continues with bands looking to perform at Rockquest and producing new works. Thanks to Creative Northland for funding this project.

With a focus on songwriting, Kiri and Stephen teamed up with facilitators Bray and Leea to host workshops for youth in the Kaipara region. We explored different ways of writing in groups, using technology for those interested in production, and writing with acoustic instruments. There was a focus on vocals, timing, and performance. We finished with a concert for the families. Exploring new ways to experience music was a key focus, as well as fun and motivating ways to create. 

In 2020 Audience Song invited people to submit stories that would inspire a song. A collective of eight national songwriters composed songs inspired by stories of overcoming challenges and adversities during lockdown in our fast-changing world. 

Audience Song was made possible by funding from Creative New Zealand. The Showcase went live on YouTube.

Song Club Junior was a two-hour weekly session from Song Conversations’ Creative Studio in Mangawhai during school term hours. The aim was to encourage and support emerging songwriters aged 8–12 and help them develop essential foundational musical skills while learning about songwriting, singing, and performing in a supportive small group environment.

Participants learn songwriting techniques, structure, terminology, lyric writing, stage performance, and singing techniques. 

Song Club Junior allows students to utilise technology alongside songwriting skills to produce recordings using Soundtrap online software.

Watch the SONG CLUB JUNIOR SONGWRITING EXAMPLE 2019

The event began with a children’s creative workshop exploring the quirky individual characters of some of our well-known native birds. Children will work together to craft simple bird costumes from natural materials, recreate native bird calls and other musical sounds, and build and perform a story about how a little bird learned to sing.

ARO are musicians and songsters Emily and Charles Looker. Aro joined us in performing their songs on stage for our family event. On the back of their 2nd national tour, ARO presented their new album ‘MANU’. Their infectious songs are in English and te reo Māori and blend R&B, jazz and world music feels. The character of a native bird inspires each song on the album.

Thanks to everyone who joined us, we had creatives, non-creatives, and friends all participating.  A huge thanks goes out to Christine White for such an informative, collaborative and stunning performance.

We finished with graduate songwriters from the School of Music, and Kiri improvising lyrics written by guests, releasing their words anonymously.  

The launch also showcased Christine’s White's nationwide-tour of Aotearoa, giving concert performances of her new album titled ‘When the things that heal us hurt us and the things that hurt us heal us’.  She calls this her ‘CW Anti-Tour’.