Rockquest performance scores scholarship

Arran Cargill-Brown was awarded the MAINZ Scholarship at the Smokefreerockquest 2017. Photo/Warren Buckland

An up and coming rock star was awarded the MAINZ Scholarship after performing at Smokefreerockquest earlier this year.

Arran Cargill-Brown, the bassist of the Havelock North High School band Charlie Whack, which won the Bay's regional competition in June, was blown away with the scholarship.

"I wasn't at the nationals as we only made the top 20, so I was just chilling at home when my mate who was watching the live stream rung me and told me I had won."

Arran said it came as a complete surprise and due to the calibre of musicians in the competition had never imagined it.

The MAINZ Scholarship goes towards more than $4000 worth of tuition fees at either the Auckland or Christchurch campus of Tai Poutini Polytechnic.

The 18-year-old wasn't sure what he was going to do but if he did go to MAINZ he was thinking about studying audio engineering.

"I also have a real passion for jazz performance which is offered at Otago, Canterbury or the New Zealand School of Music so I have a few options I am looking into."

Arran got into music at 9 when he was given a guitar for his birthday, and has never put it down.

As he got older he added bass and singing to the mix.

"I just love the experiences you get through music and performing with friends and peers at school. I think working with someone to produce something you are both passionate about is a pretty unreal experience."

His band, Charlie Whack, had been together for only a few months before being crowned the Bay's regional Smokefreerockquest champions.

"We had all known each other for ages and we were aware of our musical capabilities and I think when we got together we just managed to gel really well and it all happened quite quickly."

Despite only being 18 Arran has strong ambitions and hopes to take music as far as he can.

"I know it's not the most realistic plan to have but it's still a dream of mine so I have to give it a go, and I have a back-up plan if that doesn't work."