The former chief executive of the Australasian Performing Right Association (Apra) and present chief executive of the music programme for schools trust Play it Strange is no stranger to determining exemplary musicianship and songwriting after he was one of three judges on TV2 Song Star.
The judging panel for both heats and the final of the X-it Youth Centre competition includes Queenstown Winter Festival director and ASB Queenstown JazzFest event manager Simon Green for the first time.
Queenstown singer and entertainer Margaret O'Hanlan and Revolver co-director John Stapleton return to judge the competition.
Singer-songwriter, producer and recording artist Andrea Cruickshank-Pearson and Studio 183 owner Dave Allison return to judge the Best Original Song category.
A Wakatipu artist will be guest judge at both heats.
X-it youth worker Fi Sawers said on Saturday: "It's very exciting to be hosting an event for the local youth where we have attracted the calibre of judges listed and the likes of Mike Chunn to judge at the final.
"To be able to expose the very talented musicians here to someone like Mike Chunn, an icon in the New Zealand music industry, is just so exciting for us."
Wakatipu people aged between 15 and 24 were invited to enter the third annual Ultimate Battle of the Musos by Friday, September 3, at 5pm.
All genres of music were eligible and cover versions or originals could be performed, although originality would be favoured by the judges.
The first heat will be held at X-it Youth Centre on Friday, September 10, followed by the second heat on Friday, September 17.
The grand final will be held on Friday, September 24, and the winners were asked to be available the day after for "something extra".
The winners of the competition will be crowned the Ultimate Musos and invited to play a warm-up set for an established band at Revolver.
The winners of the Best Original Song award will have an opportunity to professionally record their song at Studio 183, in Frankton.
Entry forms are available from the Stanley St youth centre, MediaWorks and Wakatipu High School.
Five-piece rock band the Intergalactic Disco Movement won both prizes in last year's battle.
They supported the Earlybirds at Revolver and recorded their original song I'm Feeling It with the guidance of Cruickshank-Pearson and Allison at Studio 183.
