Ritchie, Strang award finalists

Anthony Ritchie.
Anthony Ritchie.
Take a bow, Otago.

Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie and alternative pop artist Kane Strang have been named finalists in the New Zealand Music Awards.

The nominations of Ritchie (classical album of the year, for Fjarran) and Strang (critics' choice award for Blue Cheese) bring to seven the number of Otago artists who have been in contention for Tuis this year.

This follows Arrowtown artist Holly Arrowsmith having taken the prize for best folk album in January, when Dunedin singer-songwriter Nadia Reid was also in line for the same award; Wanaka singer-songwriter Jody Direen being named a finalist for country album of the year; and Hawea Flat musician Anna van Riel and Oamaru's Peter Weatherall both being nominated for children's album of the year.

The winners will be announced at Vector Arena, Auckland, on November 17, although the critics' choice event will be held on November 2, also in Auckland.

Ritchie's nomination with fellow New Zealand composer Ross Harris is for their album Fjarran, the result of an international collaboration between the composers and Swedish-based clarinet and strings quintet the Dalecarlia Quintet.

Strang's debut release, Blue Cheese, written over two months in his hometown of Dunedin and self-released online last April, was picked up earlier this year by New York label Ba Da Bing Records, which agreed to release it in the United States on CD and vinyl.

Other major players in the Tui finalists' lists this year are Auckland electro-pop group Broods, comprising siblings Caleb and Georgia Nott (album of the year, best group, best pop album, people's choice award and single of the year).

They join Auckland singer-songwriter Aaradhna, whose fourth album, Brown Girl, has been nominated for four Tuis, as has Wellington dub act Fat Freddy's Drop and Auckland artist Maala. New Zealand indie rockers The Phoenix Foundation, no strangers to the Tuis, have earned three Tui nominations.

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