Horomona Horo is a New Zealand Maori musician and composer. He is a practitioner of taonga pūoro, the collective term for the traditional musical instruments of the Māori, which include an array of flutes, trumpets and percussive instruments.
Horomona was mentored by the late Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns. He has represented New Zealand music in Europe, Asia, South America and Oceania. Performances include engagements with the Weimaraer Staatskapelle Orchestra, with the Canti Māori opera throughout Italy, and as guest artist at the Battle of Passchendaele 90th Commemorations in Belgium. Horomona has been described as the ‘master of his generation’ by Māori cultural magazine, Mana, and has collaborated with New Zealand classical composers for many works, including those with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He collaborated with UK film and concert composer, Paul Lewis, on the Legends of Rotorua project for chamber ensemble, storyteller and taonga pūoro and contributed to New Zealand's first WW1 commemorative work, Requiem for the Fallen.
Horomona was a researcher and teacher at Wintec, and frequently teaches and performs around New Zealand.
Young New Zealand Maori pianist Thomas Nikora is quickly gaining recognition in NZ as an accompanist and conductor. He is currently the Musical Director of the Wellington choir, 'Cantoris', and before that he was the choir’s accompanist for two years.
Thomas grew up in Masterton and attended Makoura College, where he was awarded the school's top Kia Manawanui award. In 2016. Thomas completed his Bachelor of Music at the Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music under Jian Liu. Previous teachers include Angela Cook and Judith Clarke.
Thomas has performed throughout New Zealand as soloist and conductor. He is certainly not a new face in choir circles having sung with Orpheus Choir, Nota Bene and Victoria Voices. He is the regular accompanist for Festival Singers and is a popular conductor for local orchestras and choirs in the Wellington region.
Thomas' musical interests include musical theatre, opera, late Romantic composers and contemporary works.