Ahakoa he iti he pounamu

Commissioned piece for piano trio and taonga puoro. Premiered by NZ Trio and Horomona Horo for Matariki 2019. Ahakoa he iti he pounamu - Although it is small, it is greenstone This whakataukī refers to the gift of something small, but precious. Something given from the heart. This little piece is exploring the relationship between the western musical traditions and the world of taonga puoro. This combination of sound worlds is a gift to me, and it is a space where it is an honour and privilege to create work that contributes to this growing legacy. Particularly in collaboration with Horomona. In this piece, the trio echoes some of the sounds of the taonga puoro - mainly that of the tumutumu and the pukaea. The title is also a reference to the use of the pahu pounamu - a treasure with a beautiful sound that rings twice throughout the piece