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David Hamilton  

Matariki

 Year: 2008
for 2 SATB choirs, piano and bells

Score Sample
  • Programme Note

    Matariki is the Maori name given to a group of stars that rises in the north-east around the end of May each year. This constellation is known traditionally at the Pleiades, and in the ancient world was known from Greece to India. Maori gave names to seven of the stars, and the first moon after the appearance of the stars was celebrated as the Maori New Year. This was a time of feasting (the crops had been gathered and food was plenty), and a time to remember those who had passed away. As with many myths and legends, there are contradictory ideas – some suggest that Matariki is the name of the largest star (with the other stars being her sisters) while others suggest the name refers to the whole cluster.

    Maori mythology named the stars of the night sky “Te Whenua Marama” (the family of light”) – the children of Ranginui the Sky Father and Papatuanuku the Earth Mother. The word Matariki has conflicting origins: some say it is a combination of ‘mata’ (eyes) and ‘Ariki’ (God), while others see it as a combination of ‘mata’ (eyes’ and ‘riki’ (tiny).
    For this work several traditional texts associated with Matariki are used, each of which presents a different facet of Matariki. No traditional music is used in the work although much of the melodic writing uses rhythmic patterns suggestive of traditional waiata. Bell sounds are also used to suggest the seven stars of Matariki.

    Matariki was written for the choir Choralation (Westlake Girls’ and Westlake Boys’ High Schools) and conductor Rowan Johnston.

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Helen Fisher  

Nga Tapuwae o Kupe (The Footprints of Kupe)

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 1992
a bicultural work for school choir, instruments and dance

Score Sample
  • Instrumentation
    choir, percussion, Rarotongan drums, guitars (students), Taonga Puoro (koauau), piano, clarinet in B flat, alto saxophone, horn in F, flute, guitar (advanced performer)
  • Programme Note

    Nga Tapuwae o Kupe is a music drama directed by Rangimoana Taylor. It is based on the story of Kupe’s journey from Hawaiki to Aotearoa and his discovery of various landmarks around Whanganui-a-Tara / the Wellington region.

    While this work maintains a strong Maori theme, with karanga, haka and waiata, as well it weaves in other Pacific and European elements.

    For school choir, instrumentalists, dancers and kapa haka, this work was composed with the financial assistance of a composition grant from Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, was first performed by 140 students from South Wellington Intermediate School in July 1992 for Artsplash, the Wellington Young People’s Festival.

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Helen Fisher   Ngapo Wehi  

Tete Kura (Fern Frond)

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 2000
bicultural work for solo soprano and tenor, choir and kapahaka

Score Sample
  • Instrumentation
    Karanga, haka, waiata Tangi, Poi +SATB choral, guitar, soprano and tenor soloists
  • Programme Note

    The title “Tete Kura” represents “fern frond” [from the Maori saying :“Mate atu he tetekura, ara mai he tetekura”, and this is a work about journey and growth dedicated to the Youth of New Zealand. “Tete Kura” takes the shape of a “Hohou Rongo”, a process of reconciliation, where issues of pain and injustice are brought into the open, in order to restore people’s inner dignity and to bring about true peace. It opens with an expression of te taha wairua of two Aotearoa cultures (Karanga and Gregorian Chant “Veni Sancte Spiritus”), then a journey away from te taha wairua and te taha aroha towards greed and materialism (Corporate Beat, Haka). This leads to experiences of pain, confusion and abuse (I Crave That Place, Waiata Tangi ), out of which come insights, hope and a sense of self-worth ( Kia Hoatu He Tumanaako, Karakia ki te Wairua Tapu), to embrace energetically and enthusiastically the questions and challenges of the new millenium : about individuals-in-community, and social and cultural values based on te aroha and te taha wairua (Nga Porowhita Aroha). “Tete Kura” is a bicultural, collaborative composition for choir, kapa haka, kai-karanga and solo soprano and tenor. The music was composed by Helen Fisher, Ngapo and Pimia Wehi and Taru mai-i-tawhiti Kerehoma. The lyrics were written by Ngapo and Pimia Wehi, John Greally, Oriini Kaipara, Helen Fisher, as well as including some biblical extracts. “Tete Kura” was performed by Te Waka Huia and the New Zealand Youth Choir for the Wellington Youth Arts 2000 Festival, being funded by a project grant from Creative New Zealand Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.

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Anthony Ritchie  

The Flower of Scotland (arr.)

Duration: 03' 00" Year: 1999
for massed choirs and bagpipes

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Colin Gibson  

There's a Time

Duration: 03' 00"
for choir and instruments

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David Hamilton  

Una Noche de Verano

 Year: 2010
for singing bowl and mixed-voice choir

Score Sample
  • Programme Note

    This setting of Antonio Machado’s poem is intended as a study in atmospheric textures. Little of the music is loud or dramatic, and much of the writing consists of repetitive patterns sung by the singers independently of each other. Machado, a Spanish poet of the early twentieth century, describes the simple image of a beach at night in summer, with a voice singing in the distance. Over the scene hangs the moon. The setting does not present the entire text, but uses only fragments of the poem. From the text the words “la luna” (the moon) are heard most often. A solo voice from within the choir sets the scene with the words “A summer’s night on the beach of Sanlucar…”.

    Throughout the work a singing bowl sounds in the background, beginning and ending with the single struck note. At times the bowl disappears into the texture and at times it is clearly audible – steady and unvarying.

    Una Noche de Verano was written for conductor Rowan Johnston and his choir Choralation (students of Westlake Girls’ and Westlake Boys’ High Schools, Auckland).

    David Hamilton

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Ngapo Wehi  

Wairua Tapu

Duration: 03' 00"
for choir with guitar accompaniment

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