Wellington Girls’ College students have achieved success in three of the Play it Strange songwriting competitions for 2024. This is an amazing result and speaks to the creativity and talent of our community. Congratulations to Charlie Twigg (Year 9), Tali Whiteridge (Year 12), and Greer Castle (Year 12)! All three of them have won the opportunity to record their songs in a professional studio, after which they will be available for streaming.

Charlie Twigg was a winner in the Youthtown competition, which is open to student songwriters in Years 9-11. This year entrants were asked to weave the theme “the lives they lead” through the lyrics. Charlie’s winning song is called Make Believe, and it will be featured on the Youthtown Songwriting Competition digital album.

Tali Whiteridge was named a winner in the Peace Song competition. Entrants were required to create a recording of an original song in which “the theme of peace and non-violence may be interpreted broadly, from inner personal peace, peace in the home and among families, to peace between people of the word.” Tali’s song, Tūī, is about her grandfather and she will head to the studio during the next holidays to record it.

She is currently writing additional instrumental parts so that she can bring in a cellist and a violinist to join her on piano. It has been a busy musical year for Tali, who is a member of WGC choirs Teal and Ngā Korimako as well as being a founding member of both the Notabelles, WGC’s Barbershop group, and a brand new school a cappella group. The Notabelles earned a spot in the national barbershop competition, which will take place in Week 10 of this term in Wellington while Ngā Korimako was awarded a Silver Award in the Big Sing Finale.

Greer Castle will also be heading into the studio to record her song, First World Problems, after being named a winner in The Lion Foundation competition. Greer won studio time in the Rockquest competition earlier this year, when she was awarded first place in the Wellington region solo/duo category and selected as one of the top 30 entrants in New Zealand for her single Moving Parts.

A member of the WC/WGC Big Band, Greer is also one of only five students in the country to be chosen for the soloist improvisation national final at Young Jazz Band-It. The improvisation competition is open to all instruments and Greer has been selected as a vocalist. She will perform two songs with the house band at the final in Wellington on 28 September, each of which will have 4-6 choruses of improvised material. Greer will also be performing with the WC/WGC Big Band on the night as they have qualified for the finals in a separate category.