Traditional instruments used to create ‘Soundscape Aotearoa’

A growing number of musicians are using taonga puoro. Displayed pieces are made by Brian Flintoff unless noted otherwise. Top to bottom, moving left to right. Pūrerehua Nguru (David Cattermole); Bone koauau (Unknown) Bone porotiti Putorino Koauau ponga ihu; Karanga manu; Wood koauau

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Affectionately known as Dr Nichola Voice, Paeroa-based Nichola Genn Harris is Head of Department of Music at Thames High School.

Born in Nelson, but after spending 35 years bringing up a family in Southland, she shifted to Thames where her maternal grandmother was born, in 2021.

When not teaching, she plays Flutes, Piccolo and Taonga Puoro, and brings her eclectic woodwind music to St Georges Church Thames for a Sunday Afternoon Concert on October 8 presented by Thames Music Group.

Her inspiration to use Taonga Puoro in her music was borne from looking for a new challenge to keep her brain occupied as she finished her PhD - enrolling in a Māori language course and leading to a new passion.

She has joined a growing number of musicians using taonga puoro. She does not consider herself an expert, but enjoys sharing her journey of discovery with these instruments and often uses them in performance combining with her Western flutes.

Nichola Genn Harris a.k.a Nichola Voice will be bringing her traditional instrument woodwind show to Thames.

Together Taonga Puoro and her four flutes create what she laughingly refers to as her “one-man band”.

Combining bass, alto, concert flutes and piccolo with taonga puoro and electro-acoustic backing tracks, Nichola will present ‘Soundscape Aotearoa’.

By using music almost exclusively to New Zealand composers such as Anthony Ritchie, Peter Adams, Helen Fisher, and Martin Lodge, the programme depicts our landscape, our history, and our culture, and highlights the uniqueness of the language of Music in New Zealand, with its fusion of Western Art Music, cross-cultural inspiration, and the sounds of our landscape.

What: Sunday Afternoon Concert

When: Sunday October 8 at 2 pm

Where: St Georges Church Thames

$20 general admission or $15 for TMG members at the door.

No eftpos.

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