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Arapatiki was commissioned by Stephen De Pledge as one of a series of Landscape preludes, and received its first performance in the Wigmore Hall, London, in January, 2004. Arapatiki translates (from the Maori language) as ‘the way of the flounder’, and is the ancient name of the sand flats in front of my house at Harwood, near Dunedin. The piece has something to do with the advance and retreat of the tide across the flats, where many species of sea and water birds spend much of the day – an ever-varying water-scape. The opening idea is based on the song of the korimako or bellbird.

• Whitehead: Arapatiki; computer-set 

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• Whitehead: Arapatiki; computer-set 

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• Landscape Preludes  Year: 2011 

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• Gillian Whitehead: Arapatiki; video 

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• Gillian Whitehead: Various Works 

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• Stephen de Pledge - Landscape Preludes  

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• Stephen de Pledge plays Arapatiki by Gillian Whitehead 

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• Tuhonohono: Music by Gillian Whitehead 

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• An Interview with Gillian Whitehead 

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• Stephen de Pledge: Three Landscape Preludes  Year: 2004 

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• Gillian Whitehead: Arapātiki CD  Year: 2012 

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From The Bad Bird Book

• Sunrise: Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise - Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise: Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise - Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise: Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise - Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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The name hihi (“stitchbird”) has an onomatopoeiac quality which suggests the insistent call of this bird which is urgent, penetrating and strong. Hearing the striking call of the “hihi” on Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf inspired this piece.

• Bowater: Hihi; computer set 

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• Bowater: Hihi; computer set 

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• NZ Premieres 2008 Vol. 1 

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• Love's Nature  Year: 2011 

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• Take Flight - Music from New Zealand for Intermediate Pianists  Year: 2010 

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• Take Flight - Music from New Zealand for Intermediate Pianists CD 1 

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2222;2200;3 perc;harp;strings perc 1: timp, large susp. cym., snare,guiro,large log drum, small rain stick perc 2: marimba, medium suspended cymbal, snare drum, guiro, medium log drum perc 3: vibraphone, small suspended cymbal, snare drum, guiro, small log drum

‘Manukau Refrains’ is a delicate, colourful piece for 3 percussionists and community orchestra inspired by images of wading birds (‘manukau’), shifting patterns of water and sand in an environment teeming with life. In performance, the percussionists are spaced apart with the timpani in their usual position at the rear of the orchestra and the marimba and vibraphone in front of the orchestra. Each percussionist also plays a variety of small non-tuned instruments such as guiros, small drums and Pacific log drums. After a soft introduction, the ‘refrain’ begins as a short rhythmic pattern played by the timpani and is extended on each of its repetitions. Gradually instruments from the orchestra are drawn into this activity which accelerates as the piece progresses. The music builds to a climax followed by a short coda which reminisces on the mood of the opening.

• Rimmer: Manukau Refrains; computer-set 

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• Rimmer: Manukau Refrains; computer-set 

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Composing a piece for a festival presents challenges: the text shouldn’t be so tied to that one event that no-one else will want to utilize it, yet it should speak to some aspect of the festival. When approached to write for the Out and Loud choral festival, I searched for something suitable to set. Eventually I sent the challenge back to the organising committee to come up with a text, and Me He Korokoro Tui was the result (slightly re-edited by the composer!).

The words are a mix of Maori and English, contemporary and traditional. They speak of singing, and being united together in song. The words also refer to the tui, one of New Zealand’s most musical song-birds.

In the opening and closing sections of the work I used tui calls that had been notated in the early 20th century. In his book Bird-song and New Zealand Song Birds Johannes Andersen notated around seventy distinctive calls of the tui. He noted: “He sings at all times… by day and by night; at rest and on the wing…”, and also commented that “…the notes of this most versatile bird are different in season, new notes being sounded in addition to old ones repeated…”.

The middle section of the work, sung by semi-chorus against simple repeating harmonies, is a traditional Maori text (attributed to Mere Ngamai o Te Wharepouri (Ngati Awa)) which is supposed to be a duet between a male and female tui. The first verse suggests the movement of the birds – sung by the male bird. The remaining two sections are the female bird identifying herself, and telling her mate to pick the fruit of a nearby plant for them to eat. The music suggests traditional chant ideas.

The music ranges from the festive and majestic, to the gentle and restrained. The proverb “Me he korokoro tui” (As sweet throated as the tui) gives the work its title, and also provides a musical refrain which returns a number of times.

Me He Korokoro Tui was commissioned for the Out and Loud Festival 2010 (Auckland, New Zealand), a gathering of gay and lesbian choirs.

David Hamilton

• Hamilton: Me he korokoro tui; computer-set  Year: 2009 

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• Sunrise: Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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• Sunrise - Music from New Zealand for Young Pianists  Year: 2008 

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Like my piano solo Where the river flows, Otari (2004) for solo harp is inspired by one of my favourite Wellington places, Otari Bush near my home, which is a peaceful soundworld of birdsong, pools of stillness, and ebb and flow of wind and stream. The chorale-like theme that emerges towards the end is based on my Te Puna Waiora (Spring of Living Water).

Overall, Otari is shaped by some words in T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets: " At the still point, there the dance is.."

This work is dedicated to Carolyn Mills, principal harpist for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, whose innovative and enthusiastic collaboration enabled me to explore some extended harp techniques as part of the composing process. In March 2005, Otari was premiered in United States and since then it has received several performances in New Zealand and the United States as well as at three international Harp Festivals – London, San Francisco and Adelaide.

• Fisher: Otari; computer-set 

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• Fisher: Otari; computer-set 

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• New Zealand Selection 2 

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