Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
5 days ago
EIT Bachelor of Creative Practice (Music) student Kaden Hura-McIntosh is already making his mark as an independent musician, with two albums released and a new EP developed through his studies.
The 19-year-old (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pāhauwera) from Flaxmere says last year was a defining time in his musical journey, allowing him to grow both creatively and professionally.
“The first year of my degree has been great. I’ve learned more about music production, songwriting techniques and live performance, and I’ve been able to apply a lot of that directly to my own music.”
EIT Bachelor of Creative Practice (Music) student Kaden Hura-McIntosh performs at the end-of-year showcase.
Kaden chose to study at EIT after learning about the music programme while he was a student at St John’s College, with the opportunity to study close to home also playing an important role.
“Being close to family was important. When my careers advisor mentioned the EIT music programme, it just made sense.”
His passion for music began early, growing up surrounded by different styles of music and learning many instruments. Kaden first began songwriting at the age of 15, around the time his grandfather, a locally known country singer, passed away.
“That was when I really decided to get into music myself. Songwriting became a way of putting myself into something and creating something meaningful that other people could hear.”
While alternative rock remains his preferred genre, Kaden says his studies have expanded his musical influences.
“I’ve always loved alternative rock, but this year I’ve been exposed to so many other styles, including metal and indie pop, just through meeting other students and collaborating.”
Already an independent artist, Kaden has released two albums over the past few years, with his latest EP, ‘LOVESICK DIARY’, created as part of his coursework and recently released on Spotify.
One of the highlights of the year was performing at EIT’s end-of-year showcase, where he presented his original song, ‘She Brought Me Here’.
“For this performance, I didn’t play an instrument at all, which was new for me. I usually perform with my ukulele, but this time I just sang and let everyone else play. Hearing how everyone added their own style to the song was really special.”
In addition to singing, Kaden also played drums across most of the Level 5 performances, despite being largely self-taught.
“I’d only played drums on and off before last year. I started learning by listening to songs and practising every day, and by the end of the year, everyone wanted me to play drums for their performances.
Kaden is looking forward to his second year at EIT.
“My main goal is to understand the music industry better, how it works and what opportunities are out there. Ultimately, I want to be a singer-songwriter who writes, produces, releases and performs my own music, but I’m also open to session work or production.”
He says he would strongly recommend EIT’s music programme to other students, something he has already done with a former schoolmate enrolling next year.
“It’s opened me up to so many opportunities. The tutors are really supportive and encourage you to explore the direction you want to take. Collaborating with other students has been one of the best parts.”
Music tutor Ethan Haswell said: “Kaden is a great example of a student who had clear goals going into the Music Diploma and was able to use each project to develop the skills he needed to achieve them, while also tying the creative elements of these projects in with his own releases”.
“The quality of work he produced was to a high standard, and he took advantage of all the opportunities he was offered during the year which led to him being offered some awesome gig slots like his performance at Nuit Blanche in Napier and the tree lighting ceremony for Napier City Council.
“We are excited to have him back for the level 6 year of the Bachelor of Creative Practice and are looking forward to seeing where his music career takes him.”