Looking to take your playing to the next level in a creative, supportive environment?
The Youth Band will be led this year by mentor Adrian Hughes, with support from Youth Guest Artist Tahla Ward!

Adrian is a stellar guitar and banjo player, with 18 years’ experience performing in everything from jazz ensembles to professional solo tours across the UK. As a guitar and banjo teacher in Christchurch, Adrian loves seeing his students’ progress in their skills and encouraging his students to find their own musical voice and style.

Supporting our songwriters and vocalists is Youth Artist Tahla Ward, an accomplished performer and Gold-Guitar finalist. Tahla is an active performer across New Zealand and Australia, known for her powerful storytelling and ability to connect with audiences. Her experience in vocal harmony and professional songwriting makes her the perfect mentor for youth looking to find their own voice.

The Youth Band Experience

Youth band is a weekend-long collaboration. You’ll join forces with other young musicians to form a band, arrange songs, and develop your stagecraft. It all leads up to a live performance at the end of the weekend, giving you the chance to showcase what you’ve built together. If it sounds a bit scary, don't worry - you've got amazing support.

Adrian and Tahla bring a wealth of "real-world" industry knowledge to the Youth Marquee. Throughout the weekend, they will guide you in:
- Performance Skills: Building the confidence and presence needed for the stage
- Creative Arrangement: Learning how to pull a song together as a group.
- The Unplugged Vibe: Focusing on the acoustic element – no fancy equipment, just you and your instrument
- Vocal & Songwriting Tips: Tahla will help you develop your storytelling and harmonic skills

The Youth Marquee is a dedicated, supervised space where you can learn and jam all weekend. It's the ideal place to experiment with your music while also learning about what it's like to work as a professional musician.