Horomona Horo (born 1978) is a New Zealand

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

musician and composer. He is a practitioner of

taonga pūoro Taonga pūoro are the traditional musical instruments of the Māori people of New Zealand. The instruments previously fulfilled many functions within Māori society including a call to arms, dawning of the new day, communications with the gods a ...

, the collective term for the traditional musical instruments of the Māori, which include an array of flutes, trumpets and percussive instruments.

Career

Horo was mentored by the late Dr

Hirini Melbourne Hirini (Sid) Melbourne (21 July 1949 – 6 January 2003) was a Māori composer, singer, university lecturer, poet and author who was notable for his contribution to the development of Māori music and the revival of Māori culture. He played trad ...

and Dr

Richard Nunns Richard Anthony Nunns (7 December 1945 – 7 June 2021) was a Māori traditional instrumentalist of Pākehā heritage. He was particularly known for playing taonga pūoro and his collaboration with fellow Māori instrumentalist Hirini Melbourn ...

and was the winner of the inaugural Dynasty Heritage Concerto Competition in 2001. He has represented New Zealand music in Europe, Asia, South America and Oceania including engagements with the Weimaraer Staatskapelle Orchestra, touring Italy with Canti Maori opera and performing as a guest artist at the Battle of Passchendaele 90th Commemorations in Belgium. In 2009 Horo was described as the "master of his generation" by Maori cultural magazine, Mana and has collaborated with New Zealand composers such as

Gareth Farr Gareth Vincent Farr (born 29 February 1968) is a New Zealand composer and percussionist. He has released a number of classical CDs and composed a number of works performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) and Royal New Zealand Ball ...

for the Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir and Victoria Kelly for the NZTrio. In 2010 Horo collaborated with UK film and concert composer, Paul Lewis (composer) on the ''Legends of Rotorua'' project for chamber ensemble, story teller and taonga pūoro. The forty-five-minute composition tells two of the great legends of the Te Arawa people and was premiered at the

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompass ...

Festival of the Arts in February 2011. Horo is the Maori consultant to Choirs NZ and taonga puoro musician. In 2012 Horomona along with classical guitarist Joshua Henare Rogers formed

Waiora Waiora is a trio of indigenous Māori musicians from New Zealand. The three members of Waiora are Horomona Horo, Korey Atama, and Joshua Henare Rogers. The musical performances of Waiora are centred upon the ancient cultural practices of the M ...

who were subsequently invited to perform at the World Music Expo

WOMEX WOMEX (short for Worldwide Music Expo) is an international world music support and development project based in Berlin, whose main event is an exposition held annually in different locations throughout Europe. It integrates a trade fair, showca ...

. Waiora was the first group from New Zealand to be selected to participate in the coveted showcase in over a decade, showcasing

for the first time on a world meeting platform. The following year, he composed the taonga pūoro parts for New Zealand's first

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

commemorative work, ''Requiem for the Fallen'', written for the Voices New Zealand Choir and

New Zealand String Quartet The New Zealand String Quartet (established 1987) is New Zealand's only full-time string quartet. The current formation of musicians consists of Helene Pohl (1st violin), Monique Lapins (2nd violin), Gillian Ansell (viola) and Rolf Gjelsten (ce ...

and performed at the New Zealand International Festival.

Discography

* Te Puaotanga O Te Ao: Debut album from the trio Waiora - Orowaru Arts & Minaaka Ltd 2015 * He Rangi Paihuarere: A Tribute to the late Dr Hirini Melbourne ''Various Artists'' Rattle 2012 * Nga Tae: ''Nga Tae'' Rattle 2012 * Quays ''Luca Manghi''

Atoll Records Atoll Records is a New Zealand record label dedicated to classical, historical and contemporary music. About Atoll Records was established by composer and producer Wayne Laird in 1997. Based in Auckland, the label records primarily in Aucklan ...

2012 * He Ihimaera: ''Compilation , Witi Ihimaera'' 2011 * Toru: ''

Martin Lodge Martin Lodge is professor of political science and public policy at the London School of Economics (LSE). Lodge studies comparative regulatory regimes and policies, institutional analysis, and German, British and European Union public policy.

'' Atoll Records 2011 * Tohu: ''

Maisey Rika Maisey Rika is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and composer, performing in both English and Māori language, Māori. Her five original albums have each reached the Top 40 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart. She was named an Arts Foundation ...

'' 2009 * Solid Territory: ''Indigenous Hip Hop & Roots'' 2008 * WHA: Moana and the Tribe 2008 * Aurora Australis: ''Asia Pacific Festival'' Atoll Records 2007 * Mokomoko: ''Carol Storey'' 2007 * Based on a True Story: ''

Fat Freddys Drop Fat Freddy's Drop is a New Zealand seven-piece band from Wellington, whose musical style has been characterised as any combination of dub, reggae, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and techno. Originally a jam band formed in the late 1990s by mus ...

'' 2005

References

External links

Music Live New Zealand

Personal Website

Radio NZ Concert Interview with Horomona Horo

SouNZ Center for New Zealand Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horo, Horomona 1978 births Living people Māori culture New Zealand composers Male composers New Zealand Māori musicians Māori-language singers New Zealand Māori male singers 21st-century New Zealand male singers