Concert will raise money for memorial to slain teen

Liberty Templeman. Photo / Supplied

A memorial concert is to be held for murdered schoolgirl Liberty Templeman to raise money for an artwork to be created in her honour.

The concert, on Saturday, is to be held at The Centre in Kerikeri, exactly two years since the aspiring actress appeared on stage at the venue as Princess Jasmine in Sinbad the Sailor, three weeks before she died.

The venue is also where her funeral was held in November, 2008.

Liberty, 15, was killed by schoolboy Theo Kriel, 14, who hit her, strangled her and dragged her while she was unconscious, leaving her in the Wairoa Stream where she drowned.

Kriel is serving an 11-year sentence at a youth facility for her murder.

Liberty's mother, Rebecca Templeman, said the concert would be fun and full of energy, originality and creativity - like her daughter.

"This is a really fitting tribute. It's really positive. I can't think of anything better to remember Libby by. It's going to be a really loud and proud and full of energy - and she'll be there as well.

"I think it's very poignant that it's being held on that particular weekend and I just think that for a lot of people there's been the trial and everything ... people need to move on and I think it's really good that we can celebrate her for everything that she was which is loud, vivacious, proud, beautiful, talented - and she just loved her music."

The event, called Orange Encore after Liberty's favourite colour, was being organised by students from Springbank School in Kerikeri who did not know Liberty but who wanted to raise enough money to build a permanent art installation memorial.

Mrs Templeman said radio stations had donated advertising and bands and musicians were donating their time.

She and her family were overwhelmed by the support shown throughout the past six months of planning for the event.

"It's just amazing. I just cannot get over how people have just been so generous with their time and their energy."

Liberty's brother Bill, 14, would appear on stage singing Remember Me, a song he and Mrs Templeman wrote, and other bands had also composed some "beautiful, poignant" songs specially in Liberty's memory.

Liberty's friend Jordan would open the event by singing Hallelujah.

Mrs Templeman said the memorial artwork could not be decided upon until money was tallied and an area allocated for it, but the intention was for it to be permanently placed at The Centre which was a place "very, very close to Liberty's heart".

* Tickets are $19 for students, $22 for adults. The concert will run from 7pm to about 11pm.