Remembering Robert Wiremu
4 Aug 2026
Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Waonui a Tāne. A tōtara has fallen.
NZCF was deeply saddened by the death of Robert Wiremu (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tuwharetoa) on Saturday 18 July.
Robert was one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most influential and respected choral musicians. As a singer, conductor, composer, arranger, vocal coach, adjudicator, artistic advisor and governance leader, he made an immeasurable contribution to the choral life of our country. His death is an enormous loss to his whānau, friends, colleagues, and the many communities whose lives and music he enriched.
Robert's involvement in choral music began during his school years. As a singer, he was a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir (NZSSC), before progressing to the New Zealand Youth Choir (NZYC) and later Voices New Zealand. He subsequently served as interim director of NZSSC, leading a tour to Brazil and Argentina, prior to the appointment of Dr Andrew Withington.
Over many years, Robert played important roles within the artistic and leadership teams of our national choirs. He served as Artistic Advisor at Choirs Aotearoa NZ (CANZ) and was a trustee on the CANZ board. He also worked extensively with other ensembles, most notably the Auckland Chamber Choir.
For NZCF, Robert contributed on multiple levels. He adjudicated The Big Sing at both regional festivals and Finale, was the inaugural adjudicator for the SOUNZ The Reo Composition Competition, presented workshops at Sing Aotearoa, and served as Artistic Advisor for Choral Connect 2021. From 2018 to 2022, he was a valued member of the NZCF Board, bringing wisdom, insights and much-valued cultural understanding to the organisation's governance.
In all these roles, Robert forged vital connections between te ao Māori and the Western choral tradition, helping singers and audiences better understand our shared history while celebrating the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa New Zealand.
In recent years, Robert's gifts as a composer and arranger came increasingly to the fore. His music transcended boundaries and spoke powerfully to performers and audiences alike. His arrangement of Tuarina Wehi's Waerenga-a-Hika, commemorating the devastating 1865 siege of the pā near Gisborne, is a compelling example of his ability to bridge Māori and Western musical traditions. His profoundly moving Mozart: Re-imagined, Erebus, written for Voices New Zealand, has received widespread critical acclaim around New Zealand and in London for its emotional depth and originality.
Beyond the choral sector, Robert made a significant contribution to the wider musical landscape of Aotearoa. Over his long career at the University of Auckland, Robert taught musicianship and coached generations of classical voice students. Combining exceptional musical expertise with a natural gift for languages, Robert developed his diction model, the Wiremu Vowel Clock, which has been adopted by several choral and vocal groups in New Zealand and abroad.
As a vocal coach and musical director, Robert worked with New Zealand Opera, served as Musical Director for Opera at the Pā, was deputy Director of the New Zealand National Singing School, assembled and trained the backing singers for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's recordings Māori Songs (2000) and Waiata (2003), and coached the backing vocalists for George Benson's 2011 New Zealand tribute performances to Nat King Cole.
At the time of his death, Robert was Co-Chair of SOUNZ; a trustee of Choirs Aotearoa, the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation and the Auckland Chamber Choir; and Māori Advisor to the New Zealand Children’s Choral Academy.
Those who knew Robert will also remember his wit, distinctive sense of style, warmth and genuine curiosity. He enriched the lives of so many, and we remember him with immense affection, gratitude and respect.
Moe mai rā, e te Rangatira.
Read more about Robert’s career in this E Tangata article: Robert Wiremu: A musical connection | E-Tangata
Listen to Karen Grylls remembering Robert Wiremu in conversation with Bryan Crump on RNZ Concert: https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/three-to-seven/audio/2019044223/remembering-robert-wiremu