The duo will open with an optimistic song, Love on the Scene, which they see as an invitation to people to join with open, loving hearts.
Another new song, Infinite Skies, Heti said had a quirky yet simple arrangement and spoke about difficulties she had at times with extreme thoughts that ranged from bleakness to bliss.
“Through the lyrics and sound together, we musically demonstrate the path towards a peaceful state. On creating this song, I pictured tight turmoil to expansive space with complete relaxation at the end like gently bobbing on waves in the sea.”
Anthonie Tonnon, a local musician with a national profile, has said, “Heti & Hope are a really active and interesting group in Whanganui, with some deep 70s folk influences, and Heti has found a well of melodies and lyrics.”
Don McGlashan is a favourite New Zealand singer-songwriter of Heti & Hope and his influence is evident in their original songs Ballad for Us All and Come Back. Other influences include Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Joan Armatrading, Billie Eilish, Stan Walker, Aldous Harding and Joni Mitchell, to whom Heti has been compared.
Appreciation of art runs in Hope’s family with both her parents being painters.
“They wanted me to go to art school; music wasn’t really in their realm,” she said.
Hope’s father was a New Zealander who lived in the United Kingdom where Hope was born and grew up. On a visit to New Zealand when she was 8, she “instantly loved the land … the air, the light, sky, sea, the volcano Ruapehu, which I saw smoking from my Gran’s window”.
Hope gained a fine arts degree and a diploma in theatre and film studies but it was meeting Higginson in her late twenties that encouraged her to develop her singing. They pursued music individually and together, playing in bands and recording.
In 2004, Hope and Higginson moved with their two children to New Zealand and have since played at venues all over the country. Last year, they took part in New Zealand Arts on Tour, for which they travelled widely.
Higginson has continued his craft as a musical instrument repairer, alongside an established career as a classically and Celtic-trained musician while Hope has worked as a Steiner kindergarten teacher.
In 2018, the family relocated to Whanganui from Kāpiti, where they had first settled.
“We love the variety of musicians here,” Hope said.
“We started performing at the Musicians Club open mic nights, which is so welcoming. We’ve played at many venues here – galleries, bars and cafes, on the streets, at festivals and events like Relay for Life and the Caboodle Weekend. We are excited to perform at the Sarjeant Gallery.”
Heti & Hope, original songs
Friday, March 6 - doors open 6pm, refreshments will be available; 7-8pm performance
Tickets $20. Book at the gallery, by phone on (06) 349 0506 or online at Sarjeant.org.nz
