After a year of seeing the positive outcomes for our youth who've benefitted from the musical experiences, we want to keep this initiative going!
I’ve been going to Kakano for roughly a year and a half. Within that short
time, the teachers have helped me step out of my comfort zone and
achieve so much through that. Thanks to Sarah, I have been to multiple
concerts: Ed Sheeran, Wu Tang Clan, and Eden Festival, and 1 sound
check: Snoop Dogg. But personally, my all time favourite was Eden
Festival. This was a huge learning experience for me. I don’t usually burst
out of my little bubble of friends, or find huge venue’s enjoyable… But
the vibes, music, and overall environment was an absolute ball!
I got to meet and take photos with my favourite Aussie Hip
Hop Group (The 046), Iam Tongi, The HP Boyz, I also got to enjoy the space with so many different people. Old, young, short, tall, the variety was endless… but the
Aroha and Ahua was so positive and fun. I danced and sang with so
many people! I was so glad that I got to watch The 046, Hp Boyz, Giveon, Miss Lauryn Hill, and so many more bright and vibrant acts that day.
I will forever be thankful for the enormous mahi that Sarah puts in to give
myself and the other Kakano kids these sort of beautiful opportunities.
She doesn’t realise that the memories that we get to make with each
other, the bonds we form, the time we spend together… is something I
would take over any amount of money. I know that she loves us dearly,
which is why these sort of huge opportunities mean so much more to
me. So Sarah, I love you and thank you so so much!
Recently our student Valkyria had this to say after attending his first ever classical music performance: It was awesome. Before they performed Beethoven's 5th, they performed some really amazing contemporary classical pieces inspired by Beethoven. The conductor talked about observations of how Beethoven composed, describing it as "avant-garde" and "modern", which is what the contemporary compositions were inspired by.
I analysed the contemporary and the classic that they performed, and a new light turned on in my head. I can't read music, but I'm now so inspired by how Beethoven composed, and it's been petrol for my creativity.
Valkyria
Thank you so much for the tickets!
Check out this stunning portrait of Lauryn Hill by one of our young artists. I'd love to be able to take them to see her perform! Please give if you can, the impact is real and beautiful!
Wonderful night out for some deserving youth who would miss out were it not for the generosity of strangers, so much gratitude! Please consider our cause, inclusivity means the world to them!
After taking some of our youth to the awesome Wu-Tang Clan gig this week, the feedback has been just beautiful. The outcomes for these marginalised youngsters are endlessly positive. It goes beyond the simply joy that live music brings, it is the shared experience that brings people closer together that is so powerful. Please keep spreading the word and keep this fund going for our at-risk youngsters who deserve and benefit from this kindness.
Kia Ora! My name is TJ, and I’ve been going to Kakano for roughly 10 months now. Within the short
period of time I’ve had with this beautiful roopu, I have been able to experience my first art selling,
paying job, concert, and so much more!
Around the start of February, Sarah called my aunty asking if she and I wanted to go to watch Ed
Sheeran perform at Eden Park, I said no… But aunty had other plans. She politely took the tickets and
told me “We’re going to watch Ed play”. I just rolled my eyes thinking I was just gonna be sitting on my
phone paying absolutely no attention to the most famous ginger in the world… I was severely
mistaken.
We go in, get food and drinks… and then walk to our seats. As we entered the stadium, my mouth
refused to close because of the unbelievable sight I was witnessing. Nearly 50,000 people were
counting down until NZ’s favorite ginger played right in front of my eyes… I got goosebumps. Then it
gets too surreal, “5… 4… 3… 2… 1… ARGHHHHHHH!!”.
I couldn’t believe how excited I got to see Ed Sheeran play a song I didn’t even know existed. I
screamed, yelled, jumped, cried, and laughed. I was watching Ed Sheeran prove me wrong with songs
I didn’t even know. It was amazing! I will forever appreciate Sarah for getting those tickets, and
ultimately creating one of the best nights of my life.
Last week we took four of our students to meet Snoop Dogg (in person! Yes really!) so that they could personally gift him some of their art-works. An unbelievable opportunity and so meaningful for the kids, a night they will remember forever! The management behind Snoop Dogg's New Zealand tour gifted us tickets to the gig so our over-18 year olds got to see their musical hero too, a wonderful experience that means the world.
Last week one of our young people was lucky enough to attend the Billy Bragg gig in Auckland thanks to the generosity we have received, a wonderful experience made even more magical when Billy came to chat after the show and signed his set-list for our student!
With huge gratitude to Fat Freddy's Drop, boy did we have a good time! For some of these guys it was their first ever live music experience, what an amazing night, hopefully the first of many! Please keep spreading the word so that we can ALL have live music in our lives. x
Tomorrow we go to our first live music experience with thanks to the incredible generosity of Fat Freddy's Drop. The guys are so excited and humbled by the kindness of strangers.
The wonderful Fat Freddy's Drop are spreading the aroha and the word for us with beautiful results for our youth.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=715965903231472&set=a.370713284423404
Thank you for the generosity already received. Currently the fund would stretch to approximately one minor gig ticket for each student but with no staff support, transport or possibility of a major artist's performance. Please keep the momentum going by spreading the word or donating a few dollars. The kids are excited to know they will be sharing the musical experiences we all love and benefit from.
Wallace Chapman kindly interviewed me on The Panel on Radio NZ yesterday in order to spread the word and raise funds for these awesome young people. You can hear the interview here: (Copy & paste this link.)
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018871576
from 10:40 thru to 19:10
Hi Sarah - I listened to the show yesterday. I am the Producer of Tuawahine - a contemporary Music Show featuring Anika Moa, Tami Neilson, Annie Crummer, Paige, Georgia Lines, Ria Hall, Anna Coddington, Julia Deans and more. We are doing a mini Tour in March: Auckland 2 Mar, Havelock North 3 March and Wellington on 10 March. I'd be happy to offer free tickets to each of the shows if you have Youth in those centres who might like to attend? Feel free to email me on justine@janda.co.nz
