We are pleased to announce the following winners for 2020… Continue reading

This annual competition provides a platform for intermediate and secondary school students to share concerns on issues of importance to them through the medium of song. Each winner also receives $500 in prizes that will contribute to their musical development.

The theme of this year was ‘Home for Good', linking in with the Caritas 2019 resource focus of South Sudan and the issue of displacement and the challenges faced by millions around the world who have no home.

Junior winner for 2019 is Sina Finau of year 8 at Campion College in Gisborne, whose song, ‘Lifeline,' captured the judges with its skilful guitar work and catchy drum harmonies, emphasising the song's message.

Of her entry, Sina said, "my song is about the struggle that South Sudan is going through. Hopefully, everyone that listens will be able to hear like what they are going through and that we need to pay closer attention to this."

Aretha Mason, Sian Pegler, Cayen Tan-Vegafria and Elena Grasso of Year 11 of Sacred Heart College in Lower Hutt took out the Senior prize with their gentle melodic song, ‘Stars', praised by the judges for its spectacular vocals, slick production, and nice layering of instruments, ensuring a catchy and memorable song.

In their song, these students reflected on how the loss of home can threaten your sense of identity and any semblance of hope. "We discussed what home really means…home was where we were born and where we grew up and how we grew up watching the stars in the sky during the night…. home is the constant feeling of happiness…".

Caritas Director, Julianne Hickey says, "we have been moved and quite inspired by our entries this year.

Our winners have captured a real sense of the hardship and challenges of displacement, while at the same time displaying remarkable writing and musical talent.

We had an exceptionally high quality of entry this year, and I encourage all who haven't already, to visit the website to listen to the winning recordings."

The winning songs can be heard on the Caritas website

Supplied Amanda Gregan Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Responding to the theme ‘The Time is Now!' that was set by competition organisers Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, the Year 12 student highlighted the importance of an immediate response to issues facing the earth and people around the globe in his funky, contemporary song.

"Being a teenager living in such a privileged land and having my first world country try to protect me from the troubles of the outside world angered me," says Nikau.

"I feel like I can't do a single thing to help the people I see on the news at night dying for no reason, or from warfare and poverty. All of these things inspired and encouraged me to write this song."

Hato Paora was the only school to have two finalists in the song writing competition, and Year 13 student Ihaia Ropata was also highly commended for his song Your Own, which is dedicated to child abuse victim Moko Rangitoheriri. The song challenges listeners to raise a hand to a child only in love.

Caritas staff will present the awards to the Hato Paora students on Sunday, 24 July, as Hato Paora students prepare to compete on the national stage at the National Secondary Schools Kapahaka Competition in Hastings.

The SINGout4JUSTICE competition for students is divided into a junior (Years 7-10) and senior section (Years 11-13), and the aim is to encourage young people to consider ways their song can express empathy for people in need. Each winner also receives $500 in prizes that will contribute to their musical development.

"It is important to ensure that the voices of young people are heard by decision makers and the wider public," says Caritas Director Julianne Hickey.

"SINGout4JUSTICE provides a platform for intermediate and secondary school students to share concerns on issues of importance to them, through the medium of song. We are delighted with the quality of entries in 2016, which display the awareness and concern of young people about contemporary issues of justice."

The joint winners of the junior category are Anna Tukuitoga from St Joseph's Catholic School in Paeroa and Naia Alkhouri from St Francis De Sales in Wellington.

The winning songs can be heard on the Caritas website www.caritas.org.nz/singout4justice

Source

• Supplied
• Image: Twitter.com

The annual competition invited students from all colleges and high schools across the country, to consider ways a song can express empathy for people in need. The songs were judged by well-known singer-songwriter and recording artist, Father Chris Skinner SM, and a panel made up of other musicians and music educators.

A song which challenges listeners to think about people who are ignored and unnoticed, by Jessica Hannah Rodgers, a Year 10 student from Carmel College in Auckland, won the junior section.

Fr Skinner says Jessica's song Waiting has a sweet melody and the beauty of her voice was immediately appealing. "I appreciate songs that challenge you to think and go deeper even to places the songwriter may not have been intending. It challenges the listener to open their eyes and see the need."

The senior section was won with a powerful song, Hide and Seek, by Maisy Start Walter and Tobias Girod, Year 13 students from Campion College in Gisborne.

Fr Skinner says Hide and Seek is well-crafted and builds musically both vocally and instrumentally, with a chorus that hooks you in. "What a powerful image, Maisy and Tobias have presented to us - an innocent child's game of hide and seek juxtaposed with the scourge of child abuse. Children have an inalienable right to be safe and to play innocent games. The song draws our attention to that."

Fr Skinner congratulated Caritas on encouraging young people to think about and reflect on social justice issues and the entrants on their efforts. "I am sure it is helping to effect positive change in their lives and in the lives of other people they encounter. All of the young people are to be commended for their efforts. Isn't it great all this creativity is going on in their lives and in their colleges?"

The winning song writers will each receive a music voucher to the value of $400 and a Caritas Gifts voucher to donate to the project of their choice to the value of $100.

Read more about SingOut4Justice and listen to the winning songs here.