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National

Celebration of the celestial: Artistic collaboration to reach the stars

A special online concert is taking place tonight exploring narratives about the moon, stars, the Māori calendar, planets, navigation, space, time, and connection, through voice, sonic sound, taonga puoro, and performance painting.

Te Pae Ātea the celestial realm, features multi-music-award winner, Maisey Rika, taonga puoro specialist Horomona Horo, sonic producer Dr Jeremy Mayall and performance painter Regan Balzer.

Blazer says they are looking at the celestial realms of Te Pae Ātea in the performance. “Maisey has delved deep into looking at the stars and at Matariki, exploring Te Maramataka so she brings a wealth of knowledge in that area.”

The team of collaborative artists will each do their respective act, while Blazer with be making art reactively to what she hears. “It's an exploration of the stars, moon and the celestial realm."

Balzer said this event is to be streamed, so that no matter what happens, including Covid protocols, the event is going ahead - but not without its challenges.

Because it is going to be streamed,  there is going to be an internet delay between the artists, which is a challenge they will have to tackle.

'Surprising and refreshing'

“Maisey will be singing but there will be a couple of second delays from what the boys will be playing and what I’ll be hearing will be different again, so the dynamic I’ll be working around will be interesting”.

Blazer advises people to have a really large screen and a really good sound system to get the full experience of the event. “The music and the vocal are phenomenal.”

It will be surprising and refreshing but there will be a familiarity to tonight’s performance and each of the artists so I’m really excited for tonight’s performance”.

If you would like to see the event online, go to this URL.