The Beginning of Something Powerful
Taylor Green recently graduated from the Wintec School of Media Arts and he was the student speaker. In his speech he shared about the power of music and how creativity is a good thing for people.
“For those of you who don’t know which is most of you, I grew up in a little town some people would consider to be “te pito o te ao” or “the centre of the universe” – that is the bustling metropolis of Te Awamutu.
As a kid growing up, just like every other young boy, all I ever wanted to be was an All Black. And although the door to playing serious footy closed at a later stage of my life, I worked in the trades industry as both a builder and a scaffolder. Music was never a dream I chased or a goal I aspired to, it was simply a passion, a hobby, a personal escape rather than a professional ambition. In what was perhaps one of the more turbulent periods of my life, it was music that saved me.
Not in some dramatic, movie-scene kind of way—but in the quiet, everyday moments when I needed something to hold on to.
It gave me a way to feel, to process, to breathe when life felt heavy. Without music, I don’t think I’d be the person I am today. It didn’t just help me through, it helped me become.
Now if you were to tell me 3-4 years ago that I would be studying again, let alone be here today graduating, I would tell you to slap yourself. These last few years have not only been challenging, but they have also been some of the most rewarding and enjoyable years of my life. From pulling all-nighters with the bros, to last minute submissions, to late-night recordings, to music lessons, to even pulling off an orchestral performance. To the small talks and long conversations we’d have in the hallway, helping out our mates with projects and assignments, hanging out before, during and after classes, to breaking bread. These are just some moments that made my time at WINTEC worthwhile.
Throughout this time I’ve had the opportunity to do some amazing things with some extraordinary people. I’ve had the opportunity to teach music in schools, helping students find their rhythm and confidence through rock bands and classroom sessions. I’ve been blessed to record an album with close mates at Revolver Studios, alongside some of New Zealand’s top sound engineers and musicians. I’ve had multiple performance and gigging opportunities and I’ve also had the chance to do session work alongside one of Aotearoa Hip Hop’s top music producers for kiwi artists such as: Aaradhna, Mareko, Scribe and American hip hop artist: Kamron.
But for me, studying music has never been about learning chords or recording music or doing session work. It was about learning how to listen to myself, to others, and to the world around me. It was about experimenting, messing up and trying again, and finding my voice—not only as a musician, but as a person.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over these last few years, It’s that “Learning never ends.” The degree we hold today is not the end of our growth, but the start of a new kind of learning, about ourselves, our communities, and the roles we are meant to play in this world.
Whether you’ve studied music, education, language, or pathways into new careers, every one of us has learned how to adapt, how to persist, and how to create meaning out of uncertainty. We’ve studied during times of disruption. We’ve been shaped by a changing world. And through it all, we kept going. That’s something to be proud of.
Success doesn’t always look like a trophy or a stage. Sometimes, it’s quiet. It’s the 1-percenters. It’s the decision to show up again. It’s saying “yes” to growth, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s choosing hope. As we step out from these walls today and into the next chapters of our lives whether it’s into work, more study, or something still unfolding, I encourage us all to hold on to the curiosity that brought us here and the courage that carried us through.
Because the world doesn’t just need smart people. It needs people like you, people like me. It needs kind people. Brave people. Creative people.
People who know how to listen, how to serve, people who dare to dream.
As I conclude I want to leave you with a well known whakataukī:
“Whaia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei.”
Pursue that which is precious, and if you must bow, let it be to a lofty mountain.
We all have our own mountains. Some of them we choose, and some we never saw coming. I’ve faced a few of mine, and honestly, there were times I didn’t know if I’d make it through. But step by step, I climbed. Slowly, quietly, even clumsily at times, but I moved forward.
Whatever mountain lies ahead of you, climb it. Trust your pace. Look back only to see how far you’ve come. And know that just like we’ve done here together today, you’re already on your way.
This is not the end, but it’s the beginning of something powerful.
Nō reira, kei aku nui, kei aku rahi, tatou katoa e pae nei, teenaa koutou, teenaa koutou, pai maarire ki a tatou katoa.”
Speech provided by Taylor Green (Waikato – Tainui, Ngaati Mahuta ki te Hauaauru, Ngaati Whaawhaakia, Ngaati Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Uepohatu, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine). Wintec Media Arts Student Speaker 2025