Commissioned by the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) for the APO Summer School Finale Concert 2019. Written for full orchestra. Premiered by the APO at the Auckland Town Hall, Queen Street, Auckland CBD, NZ

Programme notes:

Through trouble and hardships, life seems to continue as if
unaffected by surging spikes. Hīkoi (journey) looks to create its own
journey in time, going through several phases of societial change.

Hīkoi

Workshopped by the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) at the APO 'Our Voice' Orchestral Workshop 2018 at the Philharmonia Hall, 1 St. Albans Ave, Mt. Eden, Auckland NZ. Written for full orchestra.

Programme notes:

In Maori Mythology, 'Ngā Rangi Tuhaha' (the bespaced or seperated heavens) refers to the different realms of heaven (or Rangi) that lie above Papatūānuku (earth mother). Ngā Rangi Tuhaha is a 3 movement piece for orchestra, each describing the first three (out of 10) realms of heaven.The three heavens are, counting upwards from earth:

1. Kiko-rangi - Ruled over by a sky god Toimau. Tāwhiri-mā-tea, the god of weather, resides here, so this heaven is also known as the home of the winds.

2. Waka-maru - the heaven of sunshine and rain.

3. Ngā-roto - the heaven of lakes. The spray splashing over is the rain andhail in our world. Ruled over by the god Maru.

The first three heavens are ruled over by Maru. He was a known everywhere, but his place has not clearly defined. In the South Island he is the god of war, and seemingly usurped the position from Tū-mata-uenga. In other places, he is known as the god of fresh water such as streams and rivers.

Ngā Rangi Tuhaha

Workshopped by the ACE (Auckland Chamber Ensemble) Brass Trio NZ at the APO 'Our Voice' Ensemble Workshop 2018 at the Music Theatre, School of Music, 7 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, New Zealand. Written for brass trio. Performers: Huw Dann - Trumpet in C, Emma Richards - French Horn and John Gluyas - Trombone.

Programme notes:

Haeretanga o Maatatua (meaning The resting place of Maatatua) refers to Takou Bay, my whenua. The story goes that Puhi-moana-ariki (an ancestor of the Ngāpuhi tribe) arrived at Takou with a husband, Kohakoha, wife, Tawhiura, and their children on board. The couple were quarrelling for some reason and in the heat of their argument, the sea whipped up and they were unable to enter the Takou river. Puhi commanded everyone to be tossed overboard and suddenly the storm abated. Puhi chanted and turned everyone to stone. At the entrance of the river lies the boulders Kohakoha, Tawhiurau and their children and they became the guardians of the entrance. Puhi feared the waka would be stolen so he took it further up the Takou awa and turned it into stone also.

Haeretanga O Mataatua

Winner of the Llewelyn Jones Piano Composition Competition 2018. Written for two pianos and voice. Performed and premiered by Lulu Feng, Soomin Kim and Reuben Rameka at the Music Theatre, School of Music, 7 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, New Zealand.

Programme notes:

E Ka Tanuku is dedicated to my great-great-grandfather Kepa Hamuera Anaha Ehau, who joined the Second Maori Contingent in 1915 to assist the Allies during World War I. He and his platoon travelled a lot, from Egypt to France, where Kepa and his group were attacked by shellfire from the Germans. Kepa was only wounded in his legs, but lost two of his friends right before his eyes. Years after the war his legs were amputated, due to complications. This piece is a retelling of his story in a musical form. The phrase E Ka Tanuku is from one of Kepa’s favourite pohuatau (speech opening), which he would say at a tangihanga (funeral).

E Ka Tanuku

Reuben is composer, conductor, teacher and performer based in Auckland, New Zealand. He is primarily of Ngāpuhi and Te Arawa descent. 
 
He completed his bachelors of music degree in 2019 (majoring in composition) at the School of Music at the University of Auckland. Here he studied under Dr. Leonie Holmes, Associate Professor Eve de Castro-Robinson and Dr. John Coulter. He developed skills in composing for solo instruments, ensembles, choirs, and orchestras, as well as composing for electroacoustics, MIDI instruments, film and video games. 
 
While studying, his works were constantly performed and workshopped by professional ensembles and musicians. His work No Ordinary Sun, inspired by the poem of New Zealand Poet Hone Tuwhare (1922-2008), was workshopped by the NZTrio and was an Auckland finalist in the NZTrio Composing Competition 2017: Turn a Phrase. In 2018, His two piano work E Ka Tanuku, written in memory of his tupuna Kepa Ehau, was performed at the Llewelyn Jones Piano Composition Competition 2018 and was the winner of the competition.His work Ngā Rangi Tuhaha was workshopped by the APO as part of their ‘Our Voice’ Orchestra programme. Haeretanga o Mataatua is a piece for brass trio, which was selected for the APO 'Our Voice' Ensemble Workshop 2018. This portrays the story of Puhi-moana-ariki and the Mataatua waka and how he turned it to stone at the Takou awa. His piece Takoto mai rā, for SATB divisi choir and written in memory of his grandfather Waata Rameka, won the Douglas Mews Choral Prize in 2018.
 
In 2019, Reuben was selected as the APO ‘Rising Star’ Young Composer-in-residence. His piece, Hīkoi, was premiered by the APO at the APO Summer School Finale Concert 2019. The piece was also performed again in 2020 for the Kiwi Kapers Concerts, where it supported the on-stage performance of the Massive Theatre Company, depicting the life of Māori tennis legend Ruia Morrison. Ko Māui me te Rā, a piece written for full orchestra and SATB choir, was premiered at the Discovery Concert 2019. This piece is a retelling of the famous Māori legend of Māui and the sun. Reuben maintains a good relationship with APO and is currently composing new works for them and other ensembles.
 
In 2020, he completed his graduate diploma in teaching, specialising in secondary music education. Here, he studied music curriculum design and education under Dr. Graham McPhail. He currently works as a music teacher and choral director at his old secondary school, Aorere College. His musical strengths include composition, traditional and contemporary Māori music, choral, singing, theory, aural, musical analysis and performance.

Reuben Rameka

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