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Contributor


Ariana Tikao

Performer, Māori Composer, Composer

Biography

Kāi Tahu

Ariana is a singer, composer, leading player of taonga puoro (Māori instruments) and New Zealand Arts Laureate. She writes waiata exploring themes relating to her Kāi Tahu identity and mana wahine, often drawing upon historical kōrero from her ancestors.

She started performing in 1993 with the folk group Pounamu, and has subsequently released three solo albums: Whaea (2002), Tuia (2008), and From Dust to Light (2012); and has been involved with many collaborative projects, including Emeralds and Greenstone, Auaha, and Ihimaera.

She has been mentored by Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff, and Hinewirangi Kohu-Morgan three of the people who have led the taonga puoro revival. She regularly works with other taonga puoro exponents, such as Alistair Fraser and Ruby Solly, collaborating and sharing her knowledge through wānanga.

In 2008 she was a soloist in the World of Wearable Arts show in Wellington, and that same year performed in the Pao Pao Pao festival at the Wellington Town Hall, where she was presented with an achievement award from Toi Māori.

In 2015 Ariana and Philip Brownlee were commissioned by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO), to compose the first concerto for taonga puoro ‘Ko te tātai whetū’. Ariana performed it with the CSO that year, and later with Stroma and the Nelson Symphony Orchestra.

She has also performed with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the New Zealand String Quartet, and in 2016 was a featured singer in John Psathas’s epic international collaboration ‘No Man’s Land’. In 2021 Ariana performed taonga puoro and sang with Māori thrash metal band Alien Weaponry and the NZSO, and again with the NZSO in the newly commissioned ‘Ngā Hihi o Matariki’ symphony that she also collaborated on with composer Gareth Farr, and singer Mere Boynton.

Ariana’s music has featured on television, film, theatre, dance, and in online videos. Whatever the setting for her music, Ariana always brings artistic integrity, and what one reviewer described as “depth and dignity,” making her a sought-after talent and collaborator in the arts scene in New Zealand today. She is also a published writer and poet.


Composed (57)

Amokura

for ensemble, voice and taonga puoro


Amokura

for voice and taonga puoro, 4m


Auroko

for voice, taonga puoro and celtic harp, 6m


Autahi

for voices, taonga pūoro and jazz quintet, 8m


Beautiful

3m 48s


Clinging Things

for female vocal trio, taonga pūoro and cello


E Hine

1m 11s


E moko e

for voice and taonga puoro, 4m 45s


E Rere

3m 20s


Espresso

3m 41s


Hauhautia

for taonga puoro and spoken voice, 2m


Hinearoraki

5m 40s


Ka taka te mōtoi

for ensemble, voice and taonga puoro


Ka taka te mōtoi

for voice and taonga puoro, 4m


Kia hiwa rā

for taonga puoro, 1m 25s


Ko te tātai whetū

for taonga pūoro and orchestra, 18m 30s


Ko te tātai whetū (chamber version)

for taonga puoro and chamber ensemble, 15m 30s


Korakorako

for SSA choir and percussion, arranged by Nanako Sato


Korakorako

4m 12s


Kua Ngaro

5m 23s


Kā Roimata

3m 6s


Manaaki

for taonga puoro and string quartet, 10m


Matariki

4m 17s


Matariki Hunga Nui

a soundscape and video to support an exhibition


My Da

2m 44s


Nau mai e kā hua

for voice and taonga puoro, 3m 30s


Ngā Hau Ngākau

a soundscape and video to support an exhibition, 39m 20s


Ngā pahū

for taonga puoro, 3m


Ngā Tōrino

a soundscape and video to support an exhibition, 20m 1s


Niwareka

5m 34s


Oxygenated

3m 25s


Patupaiarehe

2m 50s


Peninsular

5m 7s


Puaka (Rūaumoko)

for voices, taonga pūoro and jazz quintet, 9m


Pōhutukawa

for voices, taonga pūoro and jazz quintet, 8m 30s


Rainbow

1m 46s


Rehua

for voices, taonga pūoro and jazz quintet, 7m 30s


Rehua: Whakakitea ngā mata o te Ariki

a soundscape and video to support an exhibition, 20m 24s


Remembrance

4m 19s


Stitched

4m 57s


Te Atatu

2m 34s


Te Haeata

2m 26s


Te Heke

4m 49s


Te Pātūnui O Aiō

a soundscape and video to support an exhibition, 25m 6s


Te reo o te wai

for voice and taonga puoro, 2m


Tito ohia poi āwhiowhio me kōauau

an improvisation for taonga puoro, 2m 30s


Tito ohia porotiti me kōauau

an improvisation for taonga puoro, 3m 40s


Tito ohia pūtōrino

an improvisation for pūtōrino, 3m 30s


Tuia

4m 26s


Tūtūmaiao

for voices, taonga pūoro, cello and double bass, 5m


Whare Huruhuru

a soundscape for an exhibition, 39m 9s



Arranged (1)

Homai to poho

arranged for voice, taonga puoro and cello, 3m 30s



Performances (16)

Music From Her

Our Music From Her festival, held in mid-October, will celebrate, support and encourage diverse v...


Suffrage Songs Recomposed

Featuring nine female composers, this concert will see a collection of New Zealand women’s suffra...


POSTPONED: NZSO Shed Series | Wai

__This event has been postponed. We will update this page when more information is available.__ ...


POSTPONED: NZSO Shed Series | Wai

__This event has been postponed. We will update this page when more information is available.__ ...


NZSO | Matariki (Auckland)

__Gemma New__ | conductor __Ariana Tikao__ | taonga pūoro __Mere Boynton__ | kaikaranga ...


NZSO | Matariki (Wellington)

__Gemma New__ | conductor __Ariana Tikao__ | taonga pūoro __Mere Boynton__ | kaikaranga ...


CANCELLED: Auckland Arts Festival | Shoulder to Shoulder

__Auckland Arts Festival/Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki (AAF) is sadly unable to open this Thursday 4 Mar...


Tararua Album Launch Concert

Puaka by Tararua ___ __Oro Records__ is proud to present the world premiere of the full reperto...


CANCELLED: HINE-PŪ-TE-HUE | NZ Festival

**This event is cancelled due to the Red light setting. [Read more here.](https://www.festival.nz...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Wellington)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Tauranga)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Dunedin)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Christchurch)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Gisborne)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


BIRD LIKE MEN - Tararua | CMNZ (Auckland)

_“Tararua draw on personal history, the inspiration of ancient stories and knowledge, and the dar...


CANCELLED: Grand Finale | Adam Festival 2022

**This event has been cancelled due to COVID-19** ___ Our Grand Finale concert features a fab...