New commission for Sing Aotearoa

7 Aug 2026

New choral work for Sing Aotearoa 2026 celebrates connection through stars and song

Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata, a new commission for Sing Aotearoa 2026, brings together the creative talents of composer Takerei Komene (Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-a-Apanui) and poet Bianca Beard (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Hine).

Written for SATB choir and guitar, the piece is inspired by navigation kōrero (stories) passed down through generations from tīpuna (ancestors) and kaiwhakatere waka (navigators). The text references Tautoru (Orion's Belt) and Atutahi (Canopus), two significant celestial markers.

One kōrero tells of three birds who travelled alongside a great waka during the migration from Hawaiki. After arriving in Aotearoa and becoming separated, they longed for one another and eventually flew into the sky, where they came to rest together as the constellation Tautoru.

Atutahi - a whetū tārake or solitary star - represents exceptional leadership and guidance. As the first-born of the stars and one of the brightest in the night sky, Atutahi serves as a metaphor for navigators, experts, and leaders who help others find their way.

For poet Bianca Beard, these celestial images provided a powerful analogy for choral singing. She writes: "These two were selected to represent the inexplicable connections felt when we sing, and the leaders and kaikotui (conductors) who both guide and weave our voices together while remaining part of the whole. The poem therefore asks us to be like the whetū suspended above us, individuals, yet bound together in harmony, working for a purpose greater than ourselves."

For composer Takerei Komene, the imagery immediately sparked a musical response. Takerei writes: "When looking at Bianca's kupu, I was immediately struck by the image of the three birds travelling alongside the three waka. From this came the first part of the piece to be written, three canons that would eventually be sung simultaneously, representing the journeys of those waka, and of each of us on our personal haerenga."

Takerei describes the work as a celebration of people, connection, and those who have helped shape our paths. "This waiata is to be sung with joy for the people and the world around us, and reverence for those who have come before us, who have done the binding and weaving through times of strife and adversity."

With its rich imagery, deep cultural roots, and themes of unity, leadership, and belonging, Tātai Whetū, Tātai Tangata promises to be a meaningful addition to the Sing Aotearoa repertoire, inviting singers to reflect on their place within both the choir and the wider constellation of communities that connect us all.

REGISTER FOR SING AOTEAROA

Back to News