WOMAD 2013 Launch - 31st Oct 2012

Last night the line up of performers for WOMAD 2013 was announced at a launch party in the Grand Hall in Parliament.

Last nights's launch party was well-attended by special guests, artists, businessmen, sponsors and supporters. Particular mention was made of the representatives of the embassies of Russia, Italy and Israel, and from the High Commissions of South Africa and Britain. Other special guests included: the Mayor of New Plymouth, Hon. Harry Duynhoven; Rod Jager, New Zealand Country Chair of Shell; Paul Moore; Chief Executive of Todd Energy; Kevin Murphy, Chief Executive of the TSB; Elaine Gill, chair of Taranaki Arts Festival Trust (TAFT); Hayden Wanoe, Chief Executive of the TSB Community Trust; Drew James, WOMAD Artistic Director ; Labour MP Andrew Little; and Suzanne Porter, TAFT Chief Executive.

This year's perfomers come from as far apart as the USA, India, Mali, Russia, South Africa, France, Spain, Australia, Scotland and Tajikistan and fuse a dizzying array of influences into highly distinctive styles.

After the speeches those present were treated to a preview of the diverse artists scheduled to appear this year: including home-grown talents ranging from the Aotearoa National Maori Choir, Ahoribuzz and Mihirangi, to David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights.

The preview video showed a wide variety of styles from the soulful, like Amparo Sanchez of Spain to the hauntingly emotional, such as Salif Keita of Mali, and the irreverent and energetic Australian-Russian band Vulgargrad; and then, of course, there is the legendary Jimmy Cliff as the headline performer.

The key theme, expressed by the various speakers and particularly emphasised by both Dion Tuuta's opening remarks and Drew James' closing remarks, was the importance of sharing experiences as a defining principle of WOMAD.

Speakers in order were:

• Dion Tuuta, Trustee of TAFT


• Hon Jonathan Young, National Party MP for New Plymouth


• Drew James, WOMAD Artistic Director


• Suzanne Porter, Chief Executive of TAFT


• Rob Jager, Country Chief of Shell New Zealand


• Paul Moore, CEO of Todd Energy


• Kevin Murphy, Chief Executive of TSB


• Mayor of New Plymouth, Harry Duynhoven


• Drew James, Artistic Director, TAFT, WOMAD