Wakatipu High students took centre stage at the Central Otago Rockquest final in Queenstown last Saturday.
Of 17 bands from across Central, the Queenstown secondary school came out on top, with two of its bands taking out first and second place, one of the junior bands winning ‘best song’, and solo artist Mala Januszkiewicz winning the solo/duet category.
First-placed band, Atomica, comprising Bethany Graf, 18, Ted Coutts and Alfie Cameron, both 17, and Haru Kuroe, 15, formed at the start of this year.
Bethany, the lead singer, who also wrote the two songs they played in the final, says while she was confident in their ability ‘‘I was surprised when we were read out as winners, as there were some incredible bands’’.
Blues revival band 4BLU — Hugh Hodgson, 18, Jan Vavera, Alex Scoles and Emanuel Cardeno, all 17 — was runner-up.
They formed just two months ago in their music class.
Ten:37, comprising Mia Ralph, Issac Ralph, Tyler Simpson, Luana Kirchoff Pereira and Luc Theron, all 14, won the award for best song, while Mala, 16, won the solo/duo category with her song Unconditional.
The bands have been invited to submit a three-song video which’ll be judged by a panel of industry professionals — ultimately, the top 10
acts will perform in the national finals.
Meantime Ted, the guitarist for Atomica, flew out to the United States on Friday to take up a five-week scholarship programme at Berklee College of Music.
