Young, Gifted and Track

We might dream of producing a CD of our own songs but few actually achieve it. God knows, it's even hard for established artists to produce an album.

Midge Marsden's new CD is being financed through a website called Pledge Me - which invites potential buyers to pledge the cost of the CD prior to production and then receive the first pressing before official launch. Tickets to his shows are also on offer and the pledged money is refunded if the limit isn't reached in a specified time frame. Midge made it and he's heading to the recording studio this month.

The potential risks, however, haven't deterred Kerikeri High School students from writing and performing their own songs on a CD launched in September and they're being literally judged on the marketing of the CD. All seven tracks carry a 'Dreaming' theme and the CD will be entered into the Rock Shop Album of the Year competition.

The concept was initiated by senior students Sophie Sutherland and Rachel Draper as a business class project under the Lion Foundation Enterprise Scheme and encouraged by music teacher Cath McGlinchey. They contacted one of the country's best-known songwriters, former Split Enz and Citizen Band member Mike Chunn, who now heads the Play It Strange Trust which has been formed to encourage original musical performance. He drove from Auckland for the initial meeting and again for the launch at the Pioneer Tavern in Waipapa.

"Lyrically it's pretty strong. There are some great lines in the songs and I get a sense there is a strong creative spirit in the school.

"We will judge the album in two stages, how good the songs are in terms of words and music and how good is the performance of the songs, the recording and the artwork."

The CD was recorded over three weekends in the home studio of Year 13 student Simon Hill. The cover was designed by Sophie Sutherland from a 'chance' photograph taken by Mrs McGlinchey. The business side of the enterprise including the subsequent marketing of the CD will operate under the company name of Distinctiv.

One singer-songwriter featured on the CD is 15-year-old Matene Dixon of Kerikeri. The Year 11 student is immersed in music - both her father and mother play a variety of instruments and sing as does her younger brother, Boyd - so it's probably no surprise she thinks penning originals is something everyone does. In fact when asked what new song she performed for Distinctiv, she had to look at the back cover to remind herself.

"The song was written for one of my friends because he wasn't being very nice to his girlfriend and it says 'stand up, call your name, and tell her you're sorry' so it was like talking to him."

She says it can take an hour or two or a day or two to write an original and sometimes, she says rolling her eyes towards the ceiling, it can take "a whole week!" She composes on the piano and then transposes the chords for guitar.

Mike Chunn was sufficiently impressed by her performance at the launch and her song-writing that he's asked to hear more of her originals. Matene Dixon would like to make a career of music so backing like that won't go astray and at 15 she has opportunity ahead of her. Look at Lorde. She's more than a whole year older.