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Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Young musicians perform with idols
Logan Hunt plays the drums with Barnaby Weir, the frontman for Kiwi band Fly My Pretties at the YAMI summit in Wānaka. PHOTOS: YAMI/DEANNA GERLACH A Cromwell teen is buzzing after a last-minute opportunity to play the drums on stage with a famous New Zealand frontman. Logan Hunt performed with Barnaby Weir, of Fly My Pretties and The Black Seeds, on a school trip in April. The year 11 pupil was one of nine young performers to represent Cromwell College at YAMI (youth and adults in the music industry), held this year in Wānaka. Logan said he learned the songs on the day, after being asked to fill the spot on stage in someone else's absence. Cromwell college year 10 pupil Mischa Thomlinson, belts out an original at this year's YAMI summit. "It was an awesome opportunity to get to play with such a big musician," Logan said. He described Weir as "kind and really good to work with". The YAMI summit brings together aspiring musicians and industry heavyweights for a series of workshops on songwriting, performing, DJing, handling royalties, distribution and marketing. For bass guitarist Indiana Cameron and singer-songwriters Mischa Thomlinson and Tynielle Engelbrecht — all pupils at Cromwell College — working on their own songs with Gin Wigmore and Evie Bamford was a pinch-me experience. "Gin was really good at knowing what you wanted the song to sound like and getting you to that point," Indiana said. "But it [YAMI] was not just about how to write and perform but how to record it [your music] too, so you could put it out to the world." With the help of Weir, Mischa was able to record, over the course of the weekend, an original song called Running back to me, which she planned to release on Spotify tomorrow. She said the experience offered a behind the scenes look at "how everything comes together"in a recording studio. Catherine Forsyth, who heads the college's music department, said the summit gave her students access to "experts in their fields" and that was something special. "They get to see those who are going before them making great music, and they're seeing that music is a real option [career-wise]." Each day of the summit culminated in gig-like performances by both the teens and their music idols.
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Weekend workshop fosters musical talent
More than 100 students from throughout New Zealand came together at the weekend to learn the ins and outs of the music industry. The Youth and Adults in the Music Industry (YAMI) SouNZ Summit celebrated its 10th year with workshops and concerts held over two days across several venues in Wānaka. The summit was started a decade ago by Lynne Christie, former head of music at Mt Aspiring College, to help young people understand the music industry. Her vision was to create a space where young, aspiring musicians could learn technical skills while also getting practical insights on how to navigate the industry. Over the past two days, students accompanied by their music teachers took part in workshops taught by specialists in various facets of the industry including song writing, lighting technology and managing money. Event manager Celine Van der Eecken said the event offered students a deeper dive into aspects of the music industry which may not be covered in schools. "There's the workshops that are related to the music industry, about how to be in the music industry, and how to operate in the music industry. "That is less touched on in the schools," she said. This year's summit hosted between 120 and 130 students, from Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and other parts of the country. The weekend started with song writing and singing workshops taught by experienced New Zealand musicians including Gin Wigmore and Lily Shaw. Throughout the day students also learnt more about beat-making, choir singing and how to put together an album. Production manager and Mt Aspiring College head of music Matt Doyle said the summit continued to adapt to changes in the music industry. When it first began, some of the summit's workshops focused more heavily on how to put an album together, however, tutors now also focused on creating playlists for online platforms such as Spotify. Overall, the summit's purpose of giving students an extra edge into the industry remained intact. "I think it's come a long way," Ms Van der Eecken said. "But the core has always been the same ... helping people who are interested in the music industry get into the music industry." Each day ended with a concert in which students and musicians performed, showcasing the results of the weekend.
