Solo voice
E rewa mai, e rā
For solo voice
Text by the composer
E rewa mai, e rā was premiered by Ana Good (soprano) at dawn on Allen’s Beach on the seaward side of the Otago Peninsula on 1 January 2000.
About the work
E rewa mai, e rā is an invocation to the sun, asking it to rise, to give light, so that all living things will thrive and be healthy, so that the rain will fall. It is 2000 years since the coming of Christ. Rise, sun. It was composed on 30 December 1999.
There are 3 versions of this work: one for low voice, one for high voice, and a traditional waiata.
Score and recording
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
An archival performance on CD was released in 2004.
Matariki
For solo mezzo-soprano
Text by the composer in te reo Māori
The first performance was given by mezzo-soprano Ana Good at the Waitaha Matariki celebration in the Dunedin Art Gallery in June 2008.
About the work
Matariki was written for a double celebration — to mark Matariki, the Māori mid-winter festival, and Ana’s birthday.
Scores and recordings
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Hear an online performance and my introduction recorded at a concert of my works by the Auckland Chamber Orchestra.
Nau mai e te ao marama
For voice with optional kōauau
Text by Tungia Baker
The first performance was given by Ramonda Te Maiharoa Taleni (voice) with Richard Nunns (kōauau) outdoors at the Elephant Rocks, Oamaru in January 2002.
About the work
Tungia Baker wrote the text, called Tuhituhi, for a celebration of the story of Waitaha’s prophet Te Maiharoa, who led a hikoi up the Waitaki River. Naumai e te ao marama is a song (or aria) from this work, which Ramonda Te Maiharoa Taleni has made her own. It is sometimes referred to as ‘the Waitaha aria’.
Score and recording
Borrow or buy the score from SOUNZ.
Nau mai e te ao marama — SOUNZ
There are 2 archival CD recordings.
Pikeri
For solo voice
Whakatau-kī translated from Māori by Margaret Orbell
About the work
Pikeri is the middle section of a larger work, Pao for soprano, clarinet and piano, but can stand alone.
Scores and recording
Pikeri was published in 1993 in Kowhai, an album of songs by New Zealand women composers in celebration of 100 years of women’s suffrage. This is now out of print.
Buy or borrow the scores of Pao and Pikeri, or borrow Kowhai, from SOUNZ. They also have audio of a performance of Pikeri.
RNZ Concert recorded Pikeri in 1995.
Postcards from Harwood
Settings of 5 haiku for voice and piano
Texts by the Otago Peninsula Writing Group
Postcards from Harwood was written to celebrate my friend and colleague, John Elmsly’s 50th birthday and is dedicated to him.
The first performance was given by Glenese Blake (soprano) and Richard Liu (piano) on 28 July 28 2002 in a Karlheinz concert in the Music Theatre at the University of Auckland.
About the work
The piece sets 5 haiku — all evocations of aspects of the Otago peninsula — written by members of the Otago Peninsula Writing Group: Kay Sinclair (1 and 4), Joyce Whitehead (2) and the composer (3 and 5).
Score
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Requiem
For mezzo-soprano and organ
Text: Latin
Requiem was to have been performed in 5 cathedrals around Britain during the summer of 1982 with a company of 5 dancers. The dance component was cancelled and so the work received a performance by Elizabeth Lamb (mezzo) only in Carlisle Cathedral.
About the work
Requiem was originally intended for 5 dancers and organ — the soprano was added at my request. I initially delayed beginning work on the piece, since my sister was expecting a baby, and a requiem did not seem an appropriate preoccupation. The successful birth was however followed by 2 close family deaths and it was these which provided me with the emotional impetus to proceed with the composition.
It was subsequently presented with a solo dancer, Bronwyn Judge, at the 1987 Sonic Circus in Wellington. The singer on that occasion was Glenys Taylor and the organist Douglas Mews. It has been performed several times since and recorded.
Scores and recordings
Requiem was published by Waiteata Music Press in 2001.