Once upon a time … a new land rose out of a great Southern Ocean. It was a magical, musical land, where all you could hear was the beautiful song of birds. There were tuis, bellbirds, keas, wood pigeons, robins, penguins, fantails, albatrosses, owls, and many more. The birds felt so safe that some of them, like kiwi, weka and kakapo, forgot how to fly!
Eventually, humans discovered this magical, musical land and made it their home too. It was some years before they could bring their pigs, sheep, cattle and chickens for food, so some of the birds they first hunted became extinct. So people decided to protect the remaining birds as a national treasure – they even recorded each bird’s song and played the birdsong on National Radio every morning - just before the news!
Now one of the people who worked at National Radio was so inspired by the birdsong that he started writing his own songs. His name was David. One day, as David was sitting under his favourite tree listening to the birds, he heard a woman’s voice. She was singing lovely new songs, and the children were all gathered around joining in. David sprang up in excitement realising he could use the recording skills he learned at National Radio to record their songs so everyone in the magical, musical land could enjoy them.
They set up a special studio in the trees, and recorded music all day long. They created songs for dancing & moving, songs for singing & fun, and songs that helped children enjoy learning things. They recorded the birds and insects of the forest, and the whales, penguins and dolphins of the Great Southern Ocean. They recorded stories, Maori songs and lullabies. They recorded cute songs for newborn babies, fun songs for tiny toddlers and wacky songs for older kids.
Soon, people of many cultures found their songs, stories and nature recordings. This made them very happy as the birds had taught them that music was a universal language. They needed a name for their studio, and Universal Children’s Audio was just right. Now, from their magical, musical land, they share their music with children from all around the world, winning lots of prizes and awards. They even won the World Peace Music Award for the lovely songs on their Children of One Earth album.
This story has a very happy ending: their music is bringing friendship, happiness, peace, and lots of fun to thousands of children all around the world. And those children will grow up to rule the world and they will make it a happier, more musical place. That means you, me and everybody will live happily ever after!
David Antony Clark and Radha Sahar started Universal Children’s Audio in 1987. It is New Zealand’s first recording company dedicated to creating music just for children.