The Contest is an iconic secondary school musical event held annually throughout the country in June. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, and we’re looking forward to another 50 years of inspiring youth music-making and to celebrate the fantastic musicians and composers that have launched their careers through the Contest.
This is the perfect opportunity for young musicians, regardless of standard or experience, to compose and to perform chamber music and strive towards excellence.
NATIONAL FINALS
NATIONAL SEMI-FINALS
AUGUST
11.30am & 4.30pm
Bruce Mason Centre
NATIONAL FINALS
AUGUST
7.00pm
Auckland Town Hall
2019 WINNER
Congratulations to Sixteen Strings (Wellington)
WINNER OF THE KBB AWARD
Congratulations to Rerekē (Wellington)
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Congratulations to Virtuoso Strings Octet (Wellington)
WINNER OF THE SOUNZ AWARD
Congratulations to Farr-Out Trio (Northland)
VIEW THE 2019 NATIONAL FINALISTS
Sixteen Strings (Wellington)
Farr-Out Trio (Northland)
Rerekē (Wellington)
Quartetto Maduro (Canterbury)
Szerenád Trió (Canterbury)
Virtuoso Strings Octet (Wellington)
VIEW THE 2019 NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS
Delamére (Auckland)
Quartetto Maduro (Canterbury)
Sixteen Strings (Wellington)
Trio Kaleido (Auckland)
Elallitodva (Canterbury)
Rerekē (Wellington)
Szerenád Trió (Canterbury)
Virtuoso Strings Octet (Wellington)
Farr-Out Trio (Northland)
Ronesma Trio (Auckland)
Three in a Bar (Canterbury)
A Young Man’s Trio (Canterbury)
VIEW THE 2019 COMPOSITION WINNERS
SENIOR COMPOSITION WINNER
Emmanuel Samuel Wong (Wellington)
Cantata for the 5th Week of Lent
SENIOR HIGHLY COMMENDED
Xiaole Zhan (Auckland)
Childhood Impressions
JUNIOR COMPOSITION WINNER
Daniel Minh Kit Tran (Auckland)
Fantasia
REGIONAL FINALS
NORTHERN REGION
JUNE
11.30am & 4.30pm
School of Music Theatre, University of Auckland
Adjudicators: Richard Mapp & Yoshiko Tsuruta
Regional Contest Organiser: Gemma Lee
CENTRAL REGION
JUNE
11.30am & 4.30pm
MTG Century Theatre, Napier
Adjudicators: Rae de Lisle & Amalia Hall
Regional Contest Organiser: Rhondda Poon
SOUTHERN REGION
JUNE
11.30am & 4.30pm
The Piano, 156 Armagh St, Christchurch
Adjudicators: Doug Beilman & Leni Hoischen
Regional Contest Organiser: Jody Keehan
WINNER
Delamére (Auckland)
ALL NORTHERN FINALISTS
Arrebol Trio (Waikato)
Maunga Kapua Trio (Taranaki)
Utopia Trio (Bay of Plenty)
Ronesma Trio (Auckland)
Wicz (Auckland)
Farr-Out Trio (Northland)
Evka Trio (Auckland)
Trio Kaleido (Auckland)
Tri Parnya Trio (Waikato)
Vitalita Trio (Auckland)
Eighteen-Twenty-Eight (Northland)
WINNER
Sixteen Strings (Wellington)
ALL CENTRAL FINALISTS
Virtuoso Strings Octet (Wellington)
Tre Ragazze (Wellington)
76 Ants (East Coast)
CCP Trio (Hawke’s Bay)
Henrika Trio (Wellington)
Rerekē (Wellington)
Beats by Bartók (Whanganui)
From A Farr (Whanganui)
Trio Tristezza (Manawatu)
The Evensong Trio (Wellington)
3.1 Miles Trio (Wellington)
WINNER
Szerenád Trió (Canterbury)
ALL SOUTHERN FINALISTS
Lincoln High Percussion Ensemble (Canterbury)
A Young Man’s Trio (Canterbury)
Progressive Sax Policy (Canterbury)
Vibratsiya (Southland)
Elallitodva (Canterbury)
Les Trois (Nelson/Marlborough)
Quartetto Maduro (Canterbury)
Three in a Bar (Canterbury)
Unsung Heroes (Otago)
Dvořák Trio (South Canterbury)
“Are You Chinese?” (Otago)
DISTRICT ROUNDS
NORTHERN REGION
NORTHLAND (4 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Atsuko Fukuoka
Adjudicator: Doug Beilman
Venue: St John’s Golden Church, Whangarei
Date: 4 June
Session time: 7.00pm
WAIKATO (4 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Kathryn Orbell
Adjudicator: Leni Hoischen
Venue: Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, Waikato University, Hamilton
Date: 4 June
Session times: 10.30am, 1.30pm & 4.00pm
AUCKLAND (5-9 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Gemma Lee
Adjudicator: Doug Beilman, Leni Hoischen & Sarah Watkins (9th only)
Venue: Raye Freedman Arts Centre, Epsom
Dates: 5-8 June (preliminary sessions) & 9 June (semis/finals)
Session times:
5 June: 12.30pm, 3.15pm & 5.00pm
6 June: 9.30am, 12.15pm, 2.30pm & 4.30pm
7 June: 10.00am, 12.00pm, 2.30pm & 5.00pm
8 June: 9.30am
9 June: 9.30am (SF1), 12.30pm (SF2) & 7.00pm (Final)
BAY OF PLENTY (10 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Lynne Sperring
Adjudicator: Doug Beilman
Venue: St Peter’s Church, Mount Maunganui
Date: 10 June
Session times: 9.30am & 1.30pm
TARANAKI (11 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Jocelyn Beath
Adjudicator: Leni Hoischen
Venue: St Andrews Church, Liardet Street, New Plymouth
Date: 11 June
Session time: 4.30pm
CENTRAL REGION
HAWKE’S BAY (6-7 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Rhondda Poon
Adjudicator: Yoshiko Tsuruta & Richard Mapp
Venue: The Municipal Theatre, Napier
Dates: 6-7 June
Session times:
6 June: 9.30am, 1.00pm & 4.00pm
7 June: 9.30am & 7.00pm (final)
WELLINGTON (8-9 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Pip Want
Adjudicator: Yoshiko Tsuruta & Richard Mapp
Venue: Adam Concert Room, NZSM, Victoria University of Wellington
Dates: 8-9 June
Session times:
8 June: 1.00pm, 3.30pm & 5.30pm
9 June: 9.30am, 11.30am & 4.00pm (Final)
EAST COAST (10 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Gill Armstrong
Adjudicator: Yoshiko Tsuruta
Venue: Gisborne Girls’ High School, Gisborne
Date: 10 June
Session time: 7.00pm
MANAWATU (11 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Heather Selway
Adjudicator: Richard Mapp
Venue: Speirs Centre, Palmerston North Boys’ High School
Date: 11 June
Session time: 5.00pm
WHANGANUI (12 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Ingrid Culliford
Adjudicator: Richard Mapp
Venue: Prince Edward Auditorium, Wanganui Collegiate School, Whanganui
Date: 12 June
Session time: 1.30pm, 3.30pm & 6.30pm
SOUTHERN REGION
SOUTHLAND (6 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Emma Jarman
Adjudicator: Amalia Hall
Venue: Invercargill Repertory Society
Date: 6 June
Session time: 6.30pm
OTAGO (8-9 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Rebecca Filangé
Adjudicator: Rae de Lisle
Venue: Marama Hall, University of Otago, Dunedin
Dates: 8-9 June
Session times:
8 June: 1.00pm & 3.30pm
9 June: 10.00am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm & 7.00pm (Final)
NELSON/MARLBOROUGH 10 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Rosie-Anne Pinney
Adjudicator: Amalia Hall
Venue: NCMA, Nelson
Date: 10 June
Session time: 6.00pm
SOUTH CANTERBURY (10 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Ros Taylor
Adjudicator: Rae de Lisle
Venue: Craighead Diocesan School Auditorium, Timaru
Date: 10 June
Session time: 1.30pm & 4.30pm
CANTERBURY (12-14 JUNE)
RESULTS: Click here
District Contest Organiser: Jody Keehan
Adjudicator: Rae de Lisle & Amalia Hall
Venue: The Piano, 156 Armagh St, Christchurch
Dates: 12-14 June
Session times:
12 June: 10.00am, 2.00pm & 6.00pm
13 June: 10.00am, 2.00pm & 6.00pm
14 June: 7.00pm (Final)