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ACG Strathallan student finalist in Songwriter of the Year competition

Monday 14 June 2010, 10:36PM

By Method Communications

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Mitchell French
Mitchell French Credit: Nigel King

PAPAKURA

14 June 2010

As if being the captain of the first fifteen and having the lead role in the school production wasn't enough, ACG Strathallan student Mitchell French has now been named as one of the ten finalists in the Songwriter of the Year Schools Competition 2010.

It's all in a day's work for the modest Year 12 student who has played the drums for the last seven years and three years ago started guitar and singing, too. He likes to think of himself as a drummer first and foremost, but the audience at the combined ACG schools 'Imagine' concert three weeks ago would undoubtedly disagree after he brought the house down with his solo vocalist performance of "Come on get higher." He may be a drummer but this boy can sing.

Mitchell says, "I'm really quite excited about the competition. It's my first big opportunity music-wise and I'm so thrilled to have made it this far." The judging will take place at a live concert next Saturday (19 June) on the Auckland University campus. Mitchell has entered three songs and one of the competition staff members will help him choose which one to perform this week.

Music teacher Guinevere Ryan, recently famous for jamming with Justin Bieber on his visit to
ACG Strathallan, has been helping Mitchell on his musical journey. She helped him record some of the first songs he ever wrote and says, "Mitch has grown into a very talented musician over the last few years, simply through taking on advice, spending time practising and grasping every opportunity that comes his way. This is evident in comparing the recordings he did with me when he was Year 9 with the tracks he sent in to this competition. He is pushing himself to be better at every opportunity and you can see this coming through in his music."

Whether he gets placed or not, to be selected in the top ten out of so many entries is huge credit in itself. There's absolutely no doubt that Mitchell French is a name we're going to hear a lot more on the local and New Zealand music scene in the future.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Margot Bawden 

0210 240 4234