Maori Music for a Modern Audience

Māori Music for a Modern Audience

1. Aotearoa

What style of music is this?

Aotearoa is a pop song

Who performs it and what was their inspiration?

This song is performed by Stan Walker, Roy Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika. This song was made to celebrate Māori Language Week, and it was inspired by the song Poi E by the Patea Māori club.

What did you like about this song?

I liked the fact that it was all in Maori (though that makes sense because it was written for Māori Language Week) and I like the fact that it was made to sound modern.

What did you like about the music video?

I thought the way they added the clips of the different scenery around New Zealand was interesting.

What is the song about?

As quoted by Stan Walker- "it's a song to celebrate our nation, our landscape, our uniqueness, our language and our people. Here is a version of the song in English:

2. Māreikura

What style of music is this?

The music genre for Māreikura is pop

Who performs it and what was their inspiration?

The song 'Māreikura' is performed by a Māori pop band called Modern Māori Quartet, and Awhimai Fraser.

This is Modern Māori Quartets inspiration 'we, MMQ, wrote this waiata to acknowledge women as the pillars that provide the foundation of our world'

What did you like about this song?

I liked the way the singers voices harmonised, and I also liked the background vocals.

What did you like about the music video?

 The music video was actually just a video of Modern Māori Quartet and Awhimai Fraser recording the song in a studio, which I liked.

What is the song about?

"Women are the doorway to life, the heartbeat of Māori culture and the first voice heard on the Marae. Our song reflects these aspects. It is strong and warm, and ranges musically from traditional chant and haka to a contemporary rhythmic guitar with melodic vocal flow"

-Modern Māori Quartet

3. Wairua

                               What style of music is this?                                              The music genre for Wairua is pop

                Who performs it and what was their inspiration?                  Wairua was performed by a band called Maimoa

What did you like about this song?

I likes how it sounded really modern, and I liked the music (instruments) in the background

What did you like about the music video?

I thought some of the dancing was pretty interesting

What is the song about?

One of the group's singers, who’s also famous for his performance on the hit series NZ’s Got Talent, Tawaroa Kawana says, “Since breaking into the music industry last year with our hit single Maimoatia, we wanted to go down another avenue in terms of uplifting our rangatahi (youth)."

4. Kalega

What style of music is this?  
'Kalega' is R&B/Soul 
      
Who performs it and what was their inspiration? 
The song 'Kalega' is performed by Rob Ruha and The Witch Doctor. This is what Rob Ruha said about their inspiration for the song: Picture glistening coastal views, fresh fish and chips after a swim, ice cream stops and BBQ’s on the beach while your favourite jams ring out the car window and you have ‘KALEGA!’ An upbeat waiata that celebrates a unique slice of Aotearoa heaven – the East Coast, where the word ‘Kalega’ is as legendary as a kina tongue on bread!

What did you like about this song?
I liked that they used both English and Maori in the song. I also like how modern it sounded.

What did you like about the music video?

I thought the scenery in the music video was amazing

What is the song about?
"It’s a song about the great Aotearoa summer pilgrimage back to the beach to chill, unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city. No matter where you’re from, what you’re day job is or what language you speak, everyone can relate to that!" -Rob Ruha

New Musicals

New Musicals
There are new musicals coming out all the time. Here are
a few of them, along with links to clips form the musicals
and what they're about.

Mean Girls
The musical 'Mean Girls' with music by Jeff Richmond. It is based on the book by Tina Fey, and the 2004 film of the same name.

Once on this Island
The musical 'Once on this Island' is a one-act musical with a book, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Based on the 1985 novel 'My Love, My Love' or 'The Peasant Girl' by Rosa Guy, it is set in the French Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The show includes elements of the 'Romeo and Juliet' story and elements of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid'. It concerns a peasant girl on a tropical island, who uses the power of love to bring together people of different social classes.

Dear Evan Hansen
The musical 'Dear Evan Hansen' is a musical about a high school senior named Evan Hansen who suffers from social anxiety disorder, which affects his ability to socialise and connect with other people, as well as making it hard to make friends.
School of Rock
The musical 'School of Rock' is a rock musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes. Based on the 2003 film of the same name, with a screenplay by Mike White, the musical follows Dewey Finn, an out-of-work rock singer and guitarist who pretends to be a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. After identifying the musical talent in his students, Dewey forms a band of fifth-graders, in an attempt to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands contest.


Anastasia
The musical 'Anastasia' is a musical with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and a book by Terrence McNally. Based on the 1997 film of the same name, the musical adapts the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, who could have prevented the execution of her family. Years later, an amnesiac orphan named Anya hopes to find some trace of her family by siding with two con men who wish to take advantage of her likeness to the Grand Duchess.

Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre

1. Jesus Christ Superstar

The musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Tim Rice. It is  1970 rock musical and it depicts political and interpersonal struggles between Judas Iscariot and Jesus that aren't present in the bible.

Link to a song in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar

2. Wicked

The musical "Wicked" is written by Winnie Holzman. The story centres on Elphaba, a misunderstood girl who grows up to be the Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda a popular girl who grows up to become Galinda the Good Witch of the South. 

Link to the song "Defying Gravity" in the musical Wicked

Video Notes

Musical Video notes:

Hairspray, Godspell and Grease.

     

    

Dear Evan Hansen:
'Dear Evan Hansen' is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Pasek and Paul. 'Dear Evan Hansen' is about a high school senior who suffers from social anxiety disorder, which inhibits his ability to connect with other people and make friends. It was first performed on the 30th of July, 2015.

Hamilton:
'Hamilton' is an American musical about the life of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father of the United States of America, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was first performed on the 17th of February in 2015.

The Greatest Showman:
'The Greatest Showman' is an original musical that celebrates the creation of show business and tells the story of a man named P.T Barnum (played by Hugh Jackman) who created the Barnum & Bailey Circus along with its star attractions. It was release on the 8th of December 2017, with music written by John Debney and Joseph Trapanese.

Musicals

Musicals

1. Singin' in the Rain (27th March 1952)

'Singin' in the rain' was a Rom-Com musical made by the silent film production company, 'Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer'. It was the first ever film they made that had sound.

2. The Sound of Music (2nd March 1965)

'The Sound of Music' was a musical made in 1965 with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on the memoir of Maria Von Trapp. This musical is about a woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval office widower.

3. Grease (13th June 1978)

'Grease' was an American musical/romance directed by Randal Kleiser in 1978, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. 

4. West side story (18th October 1961)

'West Side Story' is a crime/drama musical about two young people from rival New York gangs fall in love. It was directed by Jerome Robins and Robert Wise.

5. The Wizard of Oz (12th August 1939)
'The Wizard of Oz' is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Judy Garland (as Dorothy Gale), Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, Pat Walshe and Clara Blandick. It is based on the 1900's childrens book 'The Wizard of Oz' written by L. Frank Baums.

6. Mary Poppins (27th August 1964)
'Mary Poppins' is a 1964 American fantasy-musical film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman brothers. This musical is loosely based on the book series 'Mary Poppins' written by P.L Travers. This movie is about a woman named Mary Poppins who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her because of her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic.

Different types of performances

Different types of performances

Circuses:

Cirque Grande is an example of a performance that has many different, unique and interesting acts such as:Acrobatics, fire eating, juggling and stilt walking. It is one of many types of performances that many enjoy and pay to see.

Concerts:
Concert is a type of performance that is enjoyed by many people. 'The Moondog Coronation Ball' was the first concert ever held. It took place at the Cleveland Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on March 21, 1952.

Plays:

A play is another type of performance that has been very popular since before 500 B.C and to this day plays remain to take place all the time everywhere around the world. Sir William Shakespeare was a play-writer who wrote his first play in 1590. These are the names of some of his plays: Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and Othello

Movies:

The first motion picture camera was made in the 1890's by a now very famous American inventor named 'Thomas Edison'. Thomas Edison was named the 10th-most prolific inventor in the world. This was the start of film history, as at this time major film productions started to be established. Though the first motion picture cameras were yet to be invented, the first film ever made was a short film called 'The Horse in Motion' made by Eadweard Muybridge.

Maori Performing Arts

For Maori language week, in drama we are looking at Maori theatre performance. Here are some of the aspects included in Maori theatrical performances.

Haka

Haka is a type of Maori welcoming or war chant. It includes body percussion, which is using your body to make noise. Here is a picture of the All Blacks New Zealand national rugby team performing the haka.

Instruments

Most Maori instruments are rather different then the traditional guitar or piano. SOme of the names of these instruments are the ku, koauau, tumutumu, pahu pounamu and pukaea.

This photo is a photo of a putatara instrument.

Clothing

Some of Maori traditional clothes consist of Kahu Kuri, Topuni, Ihupuni, Awarua and Mahiti. This is a photo of a Kahu Kuri cloak.

Tattoos

Maori tattoos, or Ta Moko. Here are some Maori Ta Moko designs.

Comparison

The comparison between Maori dancing and say Irish dancing, are completely different. Here are two links, one two a clip of Irish dancing, and another to Maori dancing.

Irish River Dancing

Maori Cultural Performance