Works with taonga pūoro
Hinetekakara
Works with taonga pūoro, Voice and instrumental ensemble, Collaborations
For kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, flute, cello and bassoon
Text by Aroha Yates-Smith
The first performance of this version of Hinetekakara was given by Aroha Yates-Smith (kaikaranga), Richard Nunns (taonga pūoro), Ingrid Culliford (flute), Ashley Brown (cello) and Ben Hoadley (bassoon) at the Hei Tiki Gallery, Whakarewarewa in late 2004.
About the work
Hinetekakara is an ancestress of Aroha Yates-Smith, whose own composition is embedded in mine. The interpretation of her chants is as follows:
- The singer invokes the spirit of her ancestress beside the rippling waters of Lake Rotorua.
- Tuhohomatakaka conducts the tapu-raising ceremony over Ihenga.
- Hinetekakara, participating in the ceremony, meets Ihenga and they fall in love.
- Hinetekakara’s lullaby welcoming her new-born son, Tuariki.
- Ihenga discovers the murdered body of Hinetekakara at the lake.
- The singer farewells her ancestress.
There are 3 other versions of this work.
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and bassoon
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and flutes
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, flute, alto flute, and bassoon
About Hinetekakara
Many years ago, Hinetekakara lived with her husband (or father, according to some traditions) Ihenga on the edge of Lake Rotorua. Returning from a hunting trip, Ihenga discovered the body of his beloved Hinetekakara by the lake, murdered, and sang his mournful lament. The settlement at Ohinemutu is named for her (meaning ‘the end of the woman’).
Instrumentation
The taonga pūoro played in this piece are, in order:
- pūtatara — conch shell trumpet
- pūtōrino matai — wooden pūtorino
- pūmotomoto — shakuhachi-like wooden flute
- pūpūharakeke — flax snail
- pūkaea — war trumpet, and
- nguru rākau maire — wooden nose flute.
Scores and recordings
Buy or borrow the scores from SOUNZ
The work was released on CD in 2007.
An excerpt was filmed for a DVD you can borrow from SOUNZ and there’s also an archival CD recorded by the group Tūhonohono.
Hinetekakara
Works with taonga pūoro, Voice and instrumental ensemble, Collaborations
For kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, and concert flute, piccolo and alto flute
Text by Aroha Yates-Smith
This version of Hinetekakara was arranged after a bomb attack near the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on 9 September 2004 and premiered there shortly after that. After the attack, not all the players were prepared to continue the trip to Indonesia, so I rearranged the work so the bassoon part could be played by 1 flute player.
About the work
Hinetekakara is an ancestress of Aroha Yates-Smith, whose own composition is embedded in mine. The interpretation of her chants is as follows:
- The singer invokes the spirit of her ancestress beside the rippling waters of Lake Rotorua.
- Tuhohomatakaka conducts the tapu-raising ceremony over Ihenga.
- Hinetekakara, participating in the ceremony, meets Ihenga and they fall in love.
- Hinetekakara’s lullaby welcoming her new-born son, Tuariki.
- Ihenga discovers the murdered body of Hinetekakara at the lake.
- The singer farewells her ancestress.
There are 3 other versions of this work.
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and bassoon
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and ensemble
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, flute, alto flute, and bassoon
About Hinetekakara
Many years ago, Hinetekakara lived with her husband (or father, according to some traditions) Ihenga on the edge of Lake Rotorua. Returning from a hunting trip, Ihenga discovered the body of his beloved Hinetekakara by the lake, murdered, and sang his mournful lament. The settlement at Ohinemutu is named for her (meaning ‘the end of the woman’).
Instrumentation
The taonga pūoro played in this piece are, in order:
- pūtatara — conch shell trumpet
- pūtōrino matai — wooden pūtorino
- pūmotomoto — shakuhachi-like wooden flute
- pūpūharakeke — flax snail
- pūkaea — war trumpet, and
- nguru rākau maire — wooden nose flute.
Score
Borrow or buy the score from SOUNZ.
Hinetekakara
Works with taonga pūoro, Voice and instrumental ensemble, Collaborations
For kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and bassoon
Text by Aroha Yates-Smith
The first performance of Hinetekakara was given by Aroha Yates-Smith (kaikaranga), Richard Nunns (taonga pūoro), George Zukerman (bassoon) in Tamatekapua, the marae at Ohinemutu near Rotorua in March 2004.
About the work
Hinetekakara is an ancestress of Aroha Yates-Smith, whose own composition is embedded in mine. The interpretation of her chants is as follows:
- The singer invokes the spirit of her ancestress beside the rippling waters of Lake Rotorua.
- Tuhohomatakaka conducts the tapu-raising ceremony over Ihenga.
- Hinetekakara, participating in the ceremony, meets Ihenga and they fall in love.
- Hinetekakara’s lullaby welcoming her new-born son, Tuariki.
- Ihenga discovers the murdered body of Hinetekakara at the lake.
- The singer farewells her ancestress.
There are 3 other versions of this work, although this was the original.
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and flutes
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and ensemble
Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, flute, alto flute, and bassoon
About Hinetekakara
Many years ago, Hinetekakara lived with her husband (or father, according to some traditions) Ihenga on the edge of Lake Rotorua. Returning from a hunting trip, Ihenga discovered the body of his beloved Hinetekakara by the lake, murdered, and sang his mournful lament. The settlement at Ohinemutu is named for her (meaning ‘the end of the woman’).
Instrumentation
The taonga pūoro played in this piece are, in order:
- pūtatara — conch shell trumpet
- pūtōrino matai — wooden pūtorino
- pūmotomoto — shakuhachi-like wooden flute
- pūpūharakeke — flax snail
- pūkaea — war trumpet, and
- nguru rākau maire — wooden nose flute.
Score
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Ipu
Works with taonga pūoro, Voice and instrumental ensemble, Collaborations
For narrator, cello, piano and taonga pūoro
Text by Tungia Baker translated into Māori by Wena Tait
Ipu exists in recorded form only and was performed by Richard Nunns (taonga pūoru), Tungia Baker (narration), Judy Bailey (piano) and Georg Pedersen (cello).
About the work
Ipu tells in te reo Māori Tungia Baker’s story — reminiscent of the old teaching stories. It tells of of Waka, a canoe and Kowhai, an elegant yellow-flowered tree that grows on the Tararuas. Their mutual friend, Tui acts as a go -between, telling the Waka of Kowhai and Kowhai of Waka. Then one day, there is a great storm, which changes everything.
There are 4 sections:
- Waka, Kowhai and Tui
- Waka’s Love for Kowhai
- The Storm, and
- Aftermath.
Instrumentation
The taonga pūoro and piano parts are improvised to guidelines in the score, and the cello part is notated.
The taonga pūoro include: ipu, pahū pounamu, kōauau rākau maire, panguru, hue puruhau, poi āwhiowhio, ua roria rau karamu, pūtōrino rākaumatai, kōuaua ponga ihu, kōauau kōiwi kurī, kōauau kōiwi toroa, tumutumu, pūpū harakeke, porotiti, pūrerehua kōhatu pounamu, pukaea rakau manuka and karanga manu.
Recording
Buy or borrow the CD from SOUNZ.
Buy a digital version of the album from SOUNZ or Bandcamp.
Mate Ururoa
For 2 baritones, mezzo and large ensemble
Text in Māori and English by the composer
Commissioned by and written for baritone, David Tahere. The premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York was scheduled for November 2021 but has been postponed because of Covid. The premiere performances were given by Wellington Opera from 11-13 July 2025 at Hannah Playhouse with David Tahere, baritone, Ariana Tikao, singer and taonga pūoro player, and Stroma conducted by Hamish McKeich. The opera was directed by Sara Brodie.
Mate Ururoa | Wellington Opera
About the work
During World War 1, Roger Dansey, of Te Arawa, a captain in the pioneer battalion, disobeys his commander’s orders to save the lives of his men. The piece explores the differences between Māori and European approaches to war.
‘Kaua e mate wheke, mate ururoa — don’t die like an octopus, die like a hammerhead shark’ was a saying used in the Dansey family.
Characters and instrumentation
Captain Roger Dansey — baritone
Commanding Officer — baritone
Whaea — mezzo-soprano
Mate Ururoa is scored for an ensemble of taonga pūoro, flute doubling alto flute and piccolo, clarinet doubling E flat and bass clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, percussion, violin, viola, cello and double bass.
Percussion instruments are: marimba, vibraphone, 2 timpani, rototoms, bass drum, wood blocks, wooden drum, metal chimes, 5 suspended cymbals, tamtam, thundersheet, stones and poi.
Scores and recordings
The score will be available from SOUNZ after the premiere performance.
Articles and interviews
Elizabeth Kerr wrote about this work in a blog celebrating my 80th birthday.
Gillian Whitehead at 80 — publication
Together with director Sara Brodie and baritone David Tahere, I was interviewed by Kathryn Ryan on RNZ about the work and the preparation of the premiere.
Rotorua war hero story told in new opera, Mate ururoa — RNZ
Reviews
Elizabeth Kerr reviewed the premiere performance.
Gillian Whitehead’s Mate Ururoa: powerful storytelling with aroha and pride — Five Lines
Hariara Moriaty reviewed the work for TheatreView.
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.