Building Character - Universal Childrens Audio - Award-Winning Children's Music

Radha's outstanding talent composing and producing music for children established her as a well-respected leader in her field. Her awards include the World Peace Music Award, two 'Tuis' for New Zealand Children's Album of the Year, the Rainbow Ribbon Award (NZ), Practical Preschool Silver Award (England), and Finalist, International Songwriting Competition, (ISC). She is co founder and co director of UCA Music.

Radha was musical director for all of Learning Media's Kiwi Kidsongs series, and composer for many other projects funded by the Ministry of Education, plus Sunshine Books, Pixel House, and Word Detective.

Radha is also an accomplished writer and painter. Her solo, interactive exhibition Spirituality in the Public Domain toured several NZ museums, plus she has two paintings in the NZ parliamentary collection. Her background includes work as a Kindergarten teacher, performer, music tutor, and music therapist.

Concerned to do what she can for our children's future, she moved to Levin, a small rural town north of Wellington, where she and her husband pursue an 'eco' lifestyle sustained by homegrown food and the ongoing joy of music. 

David's background in Radio New Zealand led to his current position as sound engineer, studio manager, and co-director/founder of UCAmusic.com. His work on the album Sacred Tibetan Ceremonies won NZ its first Grammy Award through the Naxos/White Cloud label.

David was  sound engineer for the Kiwi Kidsongs series and many Learning Media recordings funded by the NZ Ministry of Education. One of his children's songs, Never Hitch a Ride with a Martian, is also a successful children's book, published by Learning Media.

David is known in Europe for his adult contemporary music: a genre he calls 'neo-tribal'. Having traveled extensively, he weaves a wealth of overseas experience into a style of world music available internationally on the White Cloud and Tasmantis labels. He lives in Auckland, where he runs the UCA studio and restores audio recordings - Music Restoration. Visit his website for further information, David Antony Clark.

As a native speaker of her beloved Maori language, Aunty Tawai's dream was to see
Maori culture, spirituality and language spread and blossom, nurturing
the country's children in the ways of the ancestors. She chose UCA music
as her vehicle for this vision, overseeing our Maori language productions, and co-creating Nga Pihi 3 and Tama's Flute. We are  grateful we can pass on some of her legacy, by way of making the wonderful resources in Te Reo Maori that she worked on, available.

We remember her with much love as we recall her paanui ...

"Ko Tawai Hauraki-Te Rangi toku ingoa I whanau ahau ki Ruatoria. Ko Ue-pohatu, whanau-a-Umu ariki, oku hapu o Ngati-Porou. Kei Porirua toku kainga noho. He Kai-awhina ahau o te Reo Maori mo Tamariki Aorangi. Ko taku noa; kia tika te whakatakoto, kia tika te whakahua o te taonga nei o te Reo Maori. Kia pümau te Wairua I roto I ngä mahi katoa."

Kei te mihi ki a koe. Arohanui.

Roger Marbeck is manager of Marbecks Records, a family owned business established 75 years ago. Marbecks is an iconic New Zealand's specialist music store. After spending 30 years in Marbecks, Roger brought the Ode Records label. Ode has become one of the leading independent record companies in New Zealand and distributes a huge range of music - children's, classical, world, pop, jazz... you name it. Roger says "I'm thrilled to work with Radha, David & UCA, as it is such a fabulous range of children's music, and fun - every child in the country should have the opportunity to be exposed to it".

Sandra Hopping
  
Sandra, at Marbecks, is the wonderful person who receives your orders and sends them out. She is an avid music lover, and has worked in the music industry for many years. Sandra is a whizz at keeping track of what is happening with the many orders that come into Marbecks each day. She lives in Auckland and also enjoys being a mother.