Korimako Bells - A New Chamber Work

WHO

Nikau Harp Trio: Helen Webby, Cathy Irons and Paul Lee, are members of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, with extensive New Zealand and international concert experience. Webby and Irons successfully toured the South Island as a duo in 2021 with many requests to return, and so created Nikau Harp Trio with Lee in 2022.

Mark Smythe is a Nelson-born composer based in Los Angeles. He first wrote for Helen Webby in 2012, when she commissioned "Moto Mojo" as part of her Creative NZ-funded album "Pluck" . The piece is very popular on Radio NZ Concert - seriously, they play it every week! The follow up "Moto Revivo" was composed by Mark in 2020, then revised in 2022. He's also worked with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, who played on his score for the Natural History NZ docudrama Flying South. The CSO performed score live to picture in a 2017 concert, with Mark making a guest appearance on ukulele. Yes, ukulele.

https://www.marksmythe.com/

WHAT The Boosted funding is to commission Mark to write a new piece, inspired by New Zealand's native Bellbird / Korimako, for inclusion in Nikau Harp Trio's spring 2022 South Island concert tour: 9 regional towns, October 2 - October 30. As well as engaging smaller communities with contemporary, accessible New Zealand chamber music, the trio will donate part of their tour proceeds to support Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust: https://www.abeltasmanbirdsong.co.nz/

The piece will be called "Korimako Bells" - Bellbirds / Korimako are beautiful singers. At dawn they create a 'rolling chorus' with their chime-like song. They also sing solo throughout the day, and males and females perform duets. Sometimes they sing in 'competition' to define territorial boundaries - how's that for a rich vein of musical inspiration!

"Korimako Bells" will be 6 minutes long. Mark has initial ideas already (more on those during the campaign), and will fully realize the composition from August 26 - September 11, with regular work in progress updates and trio feedback before completion. The trio will have 3 weeks of rehearsal time before the October 2 premiere and 8 further performances.

The Boosted target is based on median CANZ (Composers Association of New Zealand / Te Rōpū Kaitito Puoro o Aotearoa) commissioning guidelines:

https://canz.net.nz/commissioning-guidelines/

Chamber works (3-9 parts): NZD $1000 per minute of music = low-median scale (to set a modest commission fee and realistic Boosted goal). After the concert tour, the trio and composer will self-fund production of a professional video of the work, for posting to YouTube, for all 'Boosters' and the wider world to enjoy : )

WHY

The trio had originally planned to apply for Creative New Zealand funding to commission Mark, but just as they were putting everything to together, the deadline closed over a week early due to the submission threshold (225) being met...it's a funding jungle out there!

They really want Mark to write this piece, so here we are reaching out to the wider arts-savvy philanthropists of New Zealand, and beyond...