SHP to host music fest

By Mal Taime

SOUTHERN Highlands Province is gearing up to host the provincial music festival next month.
The first ever provincial music festival is scheduled to be held at Momei Oval, situated in the heart of Mendi town, from December 16-19.
King of Highlands music and favourite Southern Highlands son, Augustine “The Blaze” Emil is taking the initiative to organize the music festival.
Mr Emil said from his home in Nipa this week that the festival was the first of its kind to be held in Mendi and had invited musicians and youths to participate.
He said the aim of hosting the music festival was to give local musicians the opportunity for exposure.
Mr Emil said a committee had been formed to cater for the event, and that the names of the musicians and bands would be drafted to perform on the stage.
He said the five electorates in the province will have two coordinators each to organize competitors represent their electorates in the festival.
Five popular Papua New Guinean artists have been invited to perform to add more colour to the festival.
Out of the five two of the country’s top female artists Taita Maraga and Mendi renown daughter Elizabeth Tandoa will be performing.
Mr Emil is calling on Governor William Powi and other Southern Highlands politicians to throw their support behind the festival because of its significance as the first music festival to be hosted in the province.
“I as a Southern Highlands son have seen that there are a lot of talented musicians interested in following our footsteps in music.”
“Most of the young talents are popping up and we have to promote and expose them so that it would give them a lot of confidence to prevail in the music industry,” Mr Emil said.
He said the festival will showcase raw talents who will be awarded prizes as a token of appreciation for taking part in the festival.
Mr Emil said preparations were underway to invite Minister for Community Development and Lae Open MP Loujaya Toni to officially open the festival.
“Mrs Toni is a fellow musician and I hope she will accept my invitation,” he said.
Mr Emil also appealed to all business houses in the province with corporate entities to come forward in cash and kind to support the event.
He said the event would encourage youths to refrain from associating in illegal activities, adding that it would help alleviate the social and moral problems affecting the youths of today.
The theme of the festival is “Find your future in music,” while a lucrative prize and awards will be given to the first three bands.
The grand prize is K10,000 while K5000 will be given to each runner up. The three bands will also record free with Mr Emil, at his Blaze studio in Nipa.
He said it would cost the organising committee around K100,000 to host the festival but would ensure the festival was a success.