An Instrumental Voyage

ORCHESTRAL JOURNEY: Taonga puoro specialist Horomona Horo is joined by singer Maisey Rika and Jeremy Mayall on electronics in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's performance of Mayall's An Instrumental Voyage. The performance is now available for free online as part of the NZSO's Play Our Part series.Picture by Latitude Creative

An Instrumental Voyage — Pae Tawhiti, Pae Tata, filmed last year as part of Tuia Encounters 250, now features as part of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Play Our Part series.

Performed in three movements, the work is an orchestral journey through the history of New Zealand from pre-European times.

The skin-tingling work is both reflective and dramatic and features the NZSO's taonga puoro specialist Horomona Horo, singer Maisey Rika, and composer Jeremy Mayall on electronics.

Made up of a powerful mix of traditional orchestral instruments, the evocative sound of carved wooden flute, conch, Rika's waiata, contemporary electronica and some spoken narrative, the composition both crosses time and is accessible.

No need to dress up or pay Auckland prices for a glass of wine. You can watch and listen to Play Our Part performances in your undies; parked on the sofa, while having dinner or doing the dishes.

Embark on An Instrumental Voyage - Pae Tawhiti, Pae Tata at www.nzso.co.nz/live

Turanga-nui

Although not part of the NZSO's Play Our Part series, a performance from Dame Gillian Karawe Whitehead's soundscape, Turanga-nui, the NZSO premiered in Gisborne in 2018 and can be viewed for free online. Commissioned by the NZSO as part of its Landfall series, the work commemorates the arrival of explorer James Cook.

The atmospheric composition was evocative of a venture into the unknown for both Endeavour's crew and those who were about to encounter them, said a Gisborne Herald review of the work.

“Tiny, bell-like tinkling suggestive of starlight on water opened the piece. A percussionist tapped the rim of his drum to create sounds evocative of taiaha.

“An oceanic mood with movie soundtrack moments dominated the work. Turanga-nui was threaded with a sense of tension, some querulousness as suggested by two bassoons, and even foreboding. Dame Gillian's Landfall work ended as it began — with rolling pebbles, gulls and tinkling as the Endeavour sailed away.”

Turanga-nui can be viewed at www.news.sounz.org.nz/land-whenua