18 Oct 2013

Pacific orchestral concert a first

8:59 am on 18 October 2013

What's believed to be the first Pasifika orchestral repertoire will get its premiere in south Auckland on Saturday.

The Manukau Symphony Orchestra is marking its 20th anniversary with We are Pasifika - a concert of original compositions and reworkings of popular songs.

Performers include dancers, Cook Islands drummers, four opera singers and 11 church and school choirs.

Conductor and composer, Opeloge Ah Sam of Victoria University, has composed four original pieces which include Pacific musical elements such as body percussion and lyrics from 12 languages.

He says it's the first time any orchestra has dedicated a concert just to music from the Pacific or by a Pacific composer.