Tīkapa Moana premiere
My new piece, Tīkapa Moana, premiered on the 17th July 2021 at the Auckland Town Hall, performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Vincent Hardaker. I haven’t yet got a proper recording, so take a listen to my own mock-up.
Tīkapa Moana was commissioned to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park - a massive 1.2 million hectares of marine land including over 50 islands. It takes listeners on a journey exploring the calm and turbulent waters, the marine and bird life, and the extraordinary significance that the park has for the people and environment of New Zealand. Personally, I walk on the shores of the gulf daily, I swim, I kayak, I love visiting the islands that live within it. As part of this commission I was invited by the Department of Conservation to stay for three nights on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Being immersed in such a remarkable place, I was deeply inspired and it engrained the sound I wanted to explore with this work. Tīkapa Moana was written as part of the Kaitito Pāpori APO Communities Composer residency, and is dedicated to my father, who sadly passed away during its composition.
I made a previous post about my time on Tiritiri Matangi. Check that out here.
The Hauraki Gulf Forum released a great educational poster showcasing the marine life in the gulf. Check that out below.
