28 Jun 2012

More of a cultural mix for taonga puoro

7:46 pm on 28 June 2012

A musician who plays traditional Maori instruments says there appears to be more collaborative projects emerging between Pakeha composers and taonga puoro artists.

Horomona Horo was asked to feature on a CD of chamber music by Waikato University Associate Professor Martin Lodge - blending Western instruments with taonga puoro.

He says the intiatives are giving taonga puoro more exposure to an international market instead of being restricted to just Maori audiences.

Mr Horo says his recent project is another example of western and Maori composers producing music together.

More people are starting to recognise ancient Maori instruments as they see and hear them being played more often, he says.