Stand Up, Stand Out applications open
Musicians and dancers from Auckland secondary schools are invited to take the spotlight for Auckland’s premier youth music and dance competition.
Registrations for Stand Up, Stand Out close on 30 June so get in quick. Find out more and register now
A video from last year's event has almost 1.5 million views - could that be you this year?
Last year's event was a viral sensation
When the whole thing started, OMAC Manager Bobby Kennedy was in his office.
“We’d come to the end of the vocal heats for Stand Up, Stand Out last year and the judges were deliberating and imparting their advice, then they started singing. I thought this is amazing and started filming,” he says.
The clip shot on Bobby’s phone is, unedited and as it happened. It features three students - PJ Tele’a, Junior Soqeta and Irene Folau - who were spontaneously called up on stage to perform verses of the Bill Withers classic ‘Lean On Me’.
Bobby uploaded it to his facebook page. When he woke up the next day and logged on the video had been watched 86,000 times. Recent reposting of the song has seen it near 1.5 million total views.
“I think what is says about Stand Up, Stand Out is there is clearly a lot of talent in the region. When something like this happens it’s like capturing lightening in a bottle, but these kids are out there doing this all the time. It’s just about focussing attention on that,” says Bobby.
Stand Up, Stand Out is an event delivered by Auckland Council as part of a regional arts and culture programme for youth.