From Sunday 9 February and Friday 28 March young performers/musicians from across New Zealand will be invited to submit their entries, including a video of their performance. In the video submission, please state your name, age, town of residence in New Zealand and the name of the song (i.e. I am Jane, age 11 from Christchurch, and I am performing a song called “Song Title”).
Entries received later than 28 March will not be eligible for the award.
The Child performing the song must be 12 years and under at the time of entry and a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
Only 1 entry per performer and/or songwriter is permitted, and the entrant must have the permission of a parent or caregiver to enter.
The song can be written and performed by the child or written by someone else and performed by the child. The songwriter's age is not restricted, provided the song is performed by a child 12 years of age or younger.
The song can be from any genre but must not have explicit content. The judging panel will determine whether the song is appropriate.
The song performed must be an original ‘unreleased’ song, Covers or re-releases are not accepted.
If the song performed is not the entrant’s own original song, then the entrant must have the permission of the songwriter to enter into the award.
Only solo performances are permitted. No multi-artist performances – we are looking for an exceptional individual!
The songwriter grants Auckland Philharmonia the ability to arrange the song for a live orchestral performance at a later time (to be announced after the 2025 NZ Children’s Music Awards) should they win the competition. The song will not be professionally recorded or available for any public release. However video footage will be captured to record the award winners performance.
The finalists must be available for a singing and performance workshop hosted by the KKM, Auckland Phil and NZO at a venue to be announced in Auckland on (Date TBC) (the day prior to the 2024 NZ Children’s Music Awards). This workshop will offer the finalists the opportunity to enhance their singing and performance skills.
The finalists must be available to perform the song they entered in front of a panel of judges on (Date TBC).
The finalists must be available to attend the 2025 NZ Children’s Music Awards on (Date TBC) at Spark Arena, Auckland.
KKM will offer a contribution towards the travel expenses of each finalist. This will be up to $250 for finalists within the North Island and $500 for finalists within the South Island. Finalists from Auckland region will not receive any financial support due to the event being held in Auckland. Appropriate transport will be coordinated with the finalists once announced, enabling them to attend the NZO workshop on (Date TBC) and the 2025 NZ Children’s Music Awards on (Date TBC). In cases where finalists are from outside of Auckland and face financial constraints, scholarships will be made available to ensure their participation.
Up to $1000 will be covered for costs associated with the winner's prize, including transportation, accommodation, and other necessary expenses.
Finalists and the eventual winner will be required to provide a photo/headshot for any PR that arises from being announced as a finalist and also willing to take part in any 2025 NZ Children’s Award media activity should they be announced as the winner.
No lobbying of judges is acceptable and may result in disqualification from the award process.
If a performance or song is found to be ineligible, you will be notified of this decision and allowed 48 hours to respond so that a review can take place.
Once your entry is submitted, you cannot make further changes, so only hit submit when you are finished!
THE PRIZE
All finalists will receive a certificate recognizing their exceptional talent and participation in the award.
The winner will have the song they performed arranged by the Auckland Philharmonia.
The winner will have the platform to showcase their talent, performing their winning song with the Auckland Philharmonia at the APO4Kids Christmas concert, delighting audiences with their captivating performance (date to be announced). Although logistical challenges may prevent an audio recording, we will ensure a live video recording captures the essence of the performance.
The winner will receive a certificate and a trophy, symbolizing their outstanding accomplishment. They will also receive a $500 contribution, which may be in the form of a voucher, to support their future endeavors in the music industry.
The winner will receive lots of positive PR as part of the 2025 NZ Children’s Music Awards.
The Kōkako Award is not just an award; it's an unforgettable journey into the world of music and performance. Let's create lasting memories at the 2025 NZ Children’s Music Awards!