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The first national Youthtown Songwriting Competition Aotearoa proved to be a buoyant success. Songs were entered by Yr 9 - 11 students across the TWO song genres ; 'Give It A Go' OR 'Voice Of Our Youth'
Every songwriter can take pride in their achievement. Writing a song, recording it and submitting it to Play It Strange points to a creative skill that is a true force - and the more songs that are written the greater the skill pattern evolves.
"Help Me Remember"
Wakatipu High School
(Queenstown)
"Hello"
Rangitoto College
(Auckland)
CONGRATULATIONS to both winners and finalists listed below!
"Avocado Song"
Papatoetoe High School
"Believe "
McAuley High School
"Brothers And Sisters"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Don't Call Me Home"
Wakatipu High School
E
"Face It"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Fire and Flame"
St Peter's College
"Fly"
Kaipara College
"Fly Like A bird"
Edgecumbe College
"Grow Up"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Hello"
Rangitoto College
I
"Korero Mai"
Gisborne Girls' High School
M
"Reality"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Shining"
Macleans College
"Shining Star"
Kaipara College
"Small but Strong"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Speak Up"
Kaikohe Christian School
"The ones Who Stayed"
St Kentigern College
"This is my Day"
Rotorua Girls' High School
"this Time
Aquinas College
U
"Whakapehapeha"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"When you're ready"
Wairarapa College
A
"Best Days Of Our Lives "
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Cathedrals Of Promises"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Colour of Love"
Mangere College
"Cruising"
Papatoetoe High School
E
"Fly Away"
Wellington High School & Com Ed Centre
"Free"
Taieri College
"Free"
Manurewa High School
"Help me Remember"
Wakatipu High School
"Hopelessly In Love With You"
Whangaparaoa College
"I Like it here"
ACG ParnellCollege
"Kelly"
Taieri College
"Lives of the Indecisive"
Manurewa High School
"Look at me now"
Taieri College
"Mask"
Napier Girls High School
"NCEA"
Taieri College
"No Signal"
Taieri College
"Nothing to Fear"
Albany Junior High School
"Officially Trash"
Kaipara College
"Oh, Old Friend"
Papakura High School
"possibilities"
Garin College
"Stay With Me"
James Hargest College
"Still into you"
Papatoetoe High School
"Teenage Repeat"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"Teenybopper"
Gisborne Girls' High School
"To be young and alive"
Palmerston North Boys' High School
"ugly Girl"
Epsom Girls' Grammar School
"Whanau"
Gisborne Girls' High School
2022 Winners & Sound Tracks • 2021 Winners | 2021 Sound Track • 2020 Winners | 2020 Sound Track
Songwriting is a craft of the imagination and we believe that the creative environment surrounding songwriters should foster, expose and celebrate these songs.
We run songwriting competitions with lyric, Maori language, Peace Song awards and others alongside. And we record at least 40 finalists each year in professional recording studios.
Songwriting, performance, and recording are the three pivots of our music evolution.
NZ Songwriters have their own take on what makes songwriting a vibrant, creative practice - read their fresh perspectives in our Songwriters Speak page
Songwriters SpeakWe've designed a poster with all key deadlines and dates for our competitions. Make sure to stick them in your calendar!
Further information about each competitions entry requirements can be found below in our "Competitions" section.
Online entry forms are now available for each competition.
Download the PDF and print it out, stick it up at school and hand it out to friends, get the word out there!
Director/Producer: Mareea Vegas / DOP: Kent Belcher / Art dept: Alex Matthews / Editor: Zac Blair /
Post production: Henry Williamson @ Thievery Studio / Hair: Luci Hare / Makeup: Tiveshni Naidoo / Clothing: Thanks to Lela Jacobs
Special thanks to NZ On Air for their Special Tracks grant which covered the recording and film making.
2018 ENTRY FORM NOW AVAILABLE
The National Secondary School Songwriting Competition is the flagship programme of the Play It Strange Trust.
2018 ENTRY FORM NOW AVAILABLE
This competition seeks songs with the lyrics embodying a focus on Peace. N.B. We are unable to offer the Hiroshima Exchange prizes this year.
2018 ENTRY FORM NOW AVAILABLE
The Winner and all Finalists have been announced.
For all secondary school students in NZ.
The competition is judged based on the originality of the cover you choose to rearrange and sing, written and performed by a kiwi artist.
Supported by a Music Grant from Recorded Music NZ.
2018 ENTRY FORM NOW AVAILABLE
Play It Strange presents a Cover Art competition to celebrate all creatives at New Zealand Secondary Schools.
This competition seeks an Album Artwork for the front cover of the 2018 Play It Strange Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition.
Play It Strange has worked for over 10 years, striving to provide secondary students with a platform they can use to pursue their musical adventures. We've held concerts, workshops and competitions, all with the intentions to provide the right environment from which students can gain confidence, self-belief and an impetus for a career path they would like to follow.
Read MorePatrons, Strange Friend Stars and our Strange Friends are a crucial and valuable community that support us.
We would love you to come on board.
All donations are tax deductible.
If you are interested in becoming a Platinum Patron or Strange Friends Star or indeed support Play It Strange in any way please give us a call, we would love to catch up and talk.
University of Waikato summer paper ‘Introduction To SONGWRITING’ has just finished.
Students have finalised the tracking of their two songs and the results are very cool.
I Know This To Be True was conceived and assembled by Geoff Blackwell of PQ Blackwell, and Ric Salizzo. It is a book about truth, beauty and wisdom. "Sixty New Zealanders in the middle of interesting lives talk about what really matters, truth and beauty, and the things they hold dear to their hearts."
Royalties from the book sales will be forwarded to PLAY IT STRANGE to further their website and school programmes.
I Know This To Be True is an incredible collection of New Zealanders discussing what it is that is important to them. PQ Blackwell have generously donated all profits from book sales to Play It Strange. We cannot thank them enough for their support of Play It Strange, and we are so grateful to be part of such a rich, inspiring project.
The book is available for purchase from any good book store in New Zealand and online. Go and get one and enjoy!
Play It Strange songwriters that have had their songs recorded for the annual CD are making cool inroads out into the world. Their career paths were fuelled from their time at school during which they sent their songs into our competitions and triumphed.
Here we have a selection of those who hit the ground running when they left school. With songwriting, performance and recording experience they were capable and poised for action.
CUSTOMERS: Those philanthropic institutions, individuals, grants bodies and funding agencies. We applaud their generosity in supporting us and their focus on the benefits we bring to the society around us.
CLIENTS: The songwriters and performers that bring their imaginative craft and performing skills to bear and we are all rewarded. From the secondary school songwriting competitions to the recording sessions for the top 40 songs.
Watch Seven Sharp's story on our WE ARE ONE - Concert for Autism here
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