For Liam and Mandy Ryan, the sound of jazz in Tauranga isn’t just music – it’s generations of young people finding their place.

For more than a decade, the couple have helped shape Tauranga Jazz Society’s National Youth Jazz Competition into a national stage for emerging talent, continuing a legacy that has been quietly transforming lives for nearly 50 years.

What began as a small addition to Tauranga’s annual jazz festival has grown into one of New Zealand’s most significant youth music events – shaped not only by its history, but by the people who continue to drive it forward.

For the past 15 years, the Ryans have been central to that story. The couple’s involvement spans multiple roles across both the competition and the wider Tauranga Jazz Festival, including festival director and artistic director.

Isla Bircham Bethlehem College Year 13 student Isla Bircham, with fellow students Year 13 Luke Tuhairwe on guitar, Year 13 Joseph Duffett on alto saxophone, and Year 12 Asher Lambert on trombone who performed at the 2024 National Youth Jazz Competition. Photo/ John Borren

Liam’s connection dates back even earlier, and although the couple met in Nelson in 2008, they have remained closely tied to Tauranga’s jazz scene ever since.

“This has been part of our lives for a long time,” Liam said.

The competition began in 1978 during the 16th Tauranga Jazz Festival, when local jazz advocate Jim Langabeer proposed a high school division within the festival’s big band contest.

The first Youth Band Competition featured just three groups, including Wellington’s Mana College Stage Band led by Rodger Fox.

Defining strength

From those modest beginnings, the event steadily expanded. By 1982 it had split into stage band and jazz combo divisions, opening the door for more students and establishing a format that continues today.

The trophy table. Photo / Supplied

For Liam and Mandy, that pathway is the competition’s defining strength.

“It’s a feeder into the festival,” Liam said. “Just about every jazz musician playing professionally in New Zealand has come through this competition at some point.”

That pipeline has helped shape the country’s music landscape. Alumni include members of Shapeshifter, L.A.B. and Fat Freddy’s Drop, along with artists such as Nathan Haines and Hollie Smith.

But Mandy said the impact goes far beyond performance.

“It creates a community,” she said. “Students meet here, then go on to study together, play together, and eventually come back as teachers. Backstage, you’ll see them reconnecting – because they’ve all been through this.”

Singer Hollie Smith. Picture / Supplied

That sense of continuity is something the couple are committed to maintaining – particularly following the influence of the late Rodger Fox, who joined the judging panel in 1984 and remained involved for more than four decades.

“We owe so much to Rodger,” Liam said. “We’re trying to keep that legacy alive – making sure young people pick up instruments and see a future in music.”

A ‘limousine experience’

Since taking on leadership roles, the Ryans have helped guide the competition through significant growth.

hdrpl Judges Rodger Fox and Gwyn Reynolds workshopping on stage with Bethlehem College in 2023. Photo/ Supplied

Workshops introduced in 2015 gave students direct feedback from professional musicians, while the event has expanded to fill both theatres at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre.

“We want to give students what we call a ‘limousine experience’,” Liam said. “They perform in a professional theatre, with top-level sound, lighting, and instruments. It’s about showing them what’s possible.”

That approach has coincided with a surge in participation.

“The competition has really taken off in the last five years,” Liam said. “We’re seeing growth of 15 to 20% – it’s huge.”

In 2025, a record 31 schools entered 30 big bands and 54 combos. This year, the 48th competition has grown again, with 42 secondary schools taking part across three days.

The increase reflects a shift in how young people are engaging with jazz.

Jazz musician Nathan Haines.

“The standard of teaching is so high now, and students are very aspirational,” Liam said. “They see it as something they can really get good at and have fun doing.”

He also points to a grassroots revival.

“We’re seeing students form their own jazz bands – like garage bands,” he said. “That’s a newer trend, and it’s exciting.”

Newest initiative

One of the competition’s newest initiatives – an auditioned National Youth Jazz Competition Big Band – brings together the country’s top young players.

“They’re the crème de la crème,” Liam said. “When they perform, it takes your breath away.”

Pukekohe High School Band performing in 2023. Photo / Supplied

For Mandy, however, the most rewarding part remains the young people themselves.

“These students are amazing,” she said. “They’re not just musicians – they’re involved in sport, kapa haka, all sorts of things. They’re confident, creative, and supportive of each other.”

It’s a reflection, Liam believes, of what jazz education offers beyond music.

“You’re learning cooperation, discipline, creative thinking,” he said. “Improvisation becomes a life skill – you learn how to deal with challenges and keep going.”

Nearly five decades on from its three-band beginnings, the competition has become a cornerstone of Tauranga’s cultural identity, sustained not just by tradition, but by those continuing to shape it.

More than music

For Liam and Mandy Ryan, that means ensuring the sound of jazz remains more than music – it continues to be a place where generations of young people can find their voice.

“Tauranga is the cradle of New Zealand jazz,” Liam said. “And Tauranga Jazz Society is proud to keep that flag flying.”