BASS

Takerei (Ngāpuhi, Whānau-a-Apanui) is based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. They is very active in the NZ choral scene as a singer, composer and conductor. They sing in the University of Auckland Chamber Choir and Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir, and regularly perform with choirs and ensembles around the country. Previously, they were a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir’s 2017-2018 cycle, and the New Zealand Youth Choir’s 2020 – 2022 and 2023 – 2025 cycles.

Takerei is actively involved as a conductor. They have been the Peter Godfrey Conducting Scholar for the New Zealand Youth Choir, and have conducted choirs at Kristin School, St Paul’s College Ponsonby, Auckland Grammar School, Takapuna Grammar School, and currently Epsom Girls Grammar School. They also developed the Lower Voices Choral Festival, which brought together lower-voice choirs from around Tāmaki Makaurau for an afternoon of bonding over singing and performance. The festival had a successful first outing in May of 2024, and is well on its way to become a fixture in the Aotearoa choral landscape.

As a composer, they have enjoyed writing various commissions over the years, focusing on choral music exploring and honouring the unique timbres and shapes of Te Reo Māori. In October of 2024, they were awarded Highly Commended in the national choral composition competition, Compose Aotearoa!, with their piece, Papatūānuku, scored for SATB double chorus. Their works have been performed in Australia, USA, Denmark, as well as all across Aotearoa.