Newsletter #15 - Midyear Check-In
Kia ora everyone,
I hope you had a lovely Matariki weekend. It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the year!
It’s been a busy and exciting few months, filled with all kinds of creative projects. Here's a little update on what I’ve been up to:
House of the Faun
I’m absolutely stoked to have received my first-ever orchestral commission! It’s long been a dream and aspiration to have a piece performed by a professional orchestra, and I’m both thrilled and (definitely) a little nervous to see it come to life.
The piece is written for Orchestra Wellington and Arohanui Strings+, a music education programme for kids in the Wellington region. It’s designed to feature the young players prominently within a full orchestral setting, with their parts carefully written to match their ability.
The concept was inspired by my trip to Pompeii, which I mentioned in my last newsletter. The work takes its name and structure from the ancient House of the Faun — one of Pompeii’s grandest homes, spanning an entire city block. The music follows a meditative journey through its many spaces, from the central impluvium —where a bronze statue of a dancing faun stands in collected rainwater, who in ancient times may have been holding a flute— to the two large peristyle gardens. Each room or courtyard has its own distinct musical material The piece runs around five minutes.
I’ve just delivered the completed score (pending any final tweaks), and the premiere is coming up in September!
Saturday 20 September, 7.30pm
Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Book tickets here
Visiting the kids at Arohanui Strings+
Dazzlehands Strikes Back
One of the most delightful surprises this year has been the return of Dazzlehands, the children’s ballet I scored last year. I thought the project had wrapped after its free performances at Te Papa — but the Royal New Zealand Ballet had other plans!
This April, Dazzlehands returned for a run of ticketed performances, including four shows at the St James Theatre. It was a surreal experience hearing hundreds of kids clapping along to my music in such a grand venue.
New Blood, Back in Black
We’re now halfway through the Shortland Street year — currently airing three nights a week in its new format. Our first mini-season New Blood wrapped up in April, and we’re now well into Back in Black. The drama continues!
Wellington Central Library – Design Inspired by Nature
I recently collaborated with filmmaker (and old friend) Luke Ross on a short video for Wellington City Council about the redesign of the Wellington Central Library. It’s just 48 seconds long, but I had a great time composing the music — and another university friend, Jimi Wilson, provided the sound design.
Helping Out in the Studio with Rhian Sheehan
I was lucky to return to one of my favourite recording spaces — Stella Maris in Seatoun — to assist composer Rhian Sheehan as he recorded strings for One Step Beyond, a new planetarium show commissioned by the British National Space Centre.
My role was behind the scenes: setting up sessions, taking notes, and (hopefully) being helpful. But it was inspiring just to be back in the room, hearing beautiful lush music played by wonderful musicians in a beautiful space.
Talking with the Team Behind The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
In April, I was asked to moderate and MC a panel discussion about the music and sound of the new animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. We heard from composer Stephen Gallagher and supervising sound editors Martin Kwok and Brent Burge.
The event was organised by the Screen Music & Sound Guild of New Zealand. As a committee member, I’ve helped run many professional events for the Guild, but this was my first time I’ve had to include public speaking as part of my role. While I wasn’t involved with the film itself, as a lifelong Middle-earth nerd, it was a real joy to be part of the event.
Thanks so much for reading — I hope you're all keeping warm this winter. Best wishes until next time!
Ngā mihi nui,
