Senior University of the South Pacific Lecturer, Igelese Ete, was awarded the Senior Pacific Artist Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards in Auckland recently for his contribution to Pacific music.
According to Fiji Times Online, the 'Samoan descent music composer and conductor was awarded NZ$7000' with the award thus stamping 'his mark as one of the best in the Pacific'.'For Mr Ete, receiving the award is about credibility and achieving a bigger scope which open doors for other composers, musicians and pacific creative artists'.
'The University of the South Pacific senior lecturer has composed and conducted more than 50 choirs and founded several including the USP-based Pasifika Voices and the Suva Community Gospel Choir'.
The report quotes Mr. Ete as saying, "I still want to continue to develop in all facets. I think we never stop learning whether it's creatively or academically. I enjoy working with youth to empower them to create music that will be inspiring and empowering to the local and global community".