31 Jan 2022
Taonga pūoro artist and practitioner Jerome Kavanagh has been announced as the 2022 Creative New Zealand/School of Music—Te Kōkī Composer-in-residence.
Congratulations to international taonga pūoro artist and practictioner Jerome Kavanagh (Mokai Patea, Maniapoto, Kahungunu, Irish: Caomhanach) who has been announced as Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s 2022 Creative New Zealand/School of Music—Te Kōkī Composer-in-residence.
Kavanagh is part of a movement introducing Māori music, art, and culture to the world. He has performed and recorded with artists from a variety of different genres, and was a featured solo artist and lyricist on 2011 Grammy award-winning album Calling all Dawns. He will begin his residency on 28 February.
Creative New Zealand are proud to support the residency programme at New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī.
“For the majority of my 20 plus years as a full time taonga puoro practioner I have remained independent” said Kavanagh.
“This residency gives me a window of space outside the usual hussle of maintaining a sustainable practice as a cultural practioner/artist/musician in these modern times. While I do recognise myself as a musician I understand that first and foremost I’m a cultural practioner. This gives me space and time to focus on creating, uplifting and upholding the mana of our taonga pūoro”
Hayley Dingwall, Arts Practice Director - Music and Opera said that it was "an amazing time for one of our tohunga of taonga pūoro to have this opportunity to dedicate to this practice and share the knowledge he holds with the wider community. The wellbeing properties of the arts is not a new concept - this indigenous practice embodies that kaupapa and we all have much to gain in upholding this tradition especially when we are faced with the ongoing challenges of this moment. Jerome Kavanagh is an accomplished artist and ambassador of Māori music, art and culture and we are so pleased to welcome him to Te Whanganui-a-Tara as the 2022 Composer-in-residence at Te Kōkī, New Zealand School of Music.”
Reflecting on the time ahead, Kavanagh said that he has “several kaupapa in my plan for the residency which include creating works in collab with fellow pūoro practioners and fellow resident composers at Te Kōkī, Salina Fisher and Neil MacLeod. Works created to support whānau healing and works to honour the waterways of Te Whanganui-ā-Tara."
Kavanagh will also look to share taonga pūoro workshops with schools, community and teaching staff, particularly with the music therapy course at the university.
“Our Kaupapa Pūoro like all of Te Ao Maori and Kaupapa Māori belongs to the many, those gone before, in the present and into the future.”
Creative New Zealand has supported three music residencies offered by Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington’s New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī (NZSM) through funding opportunities
For more information about the residency information, please visit http://ow.ly/z5Gk50HxrHG
Further information about Jerome Kavanagh’s work can be found on his website: www.puorojerome.co.nz.
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