‘Adrenalin rush': Doctoral candidate's performance hits the right note

Where does te ao Māori sit with the world of classical music? That’s an intriguing question that is stimulating the creative talents of acclaimed Whanganui pianist Liam Wooding.

Currently living in Perth and teaching piano and music context at Edith Cowan University, the 29-year-old is working on a new composition with composer Martin Lodge, influenced by mātauranga Māori and tikanga.

Liam (Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) is also studying for a doctorate in musical arts through the University of Waikato.

His doctoral topic is New Zealand piano music and he says: “My own personal voice as a New Zealand pianist who is tangata whenua will be an important perspective to insert into that topic.

“It is not about imitating Māori culture; it is reflecting elements of the Māori world and seeing how that influences piano pieces and composition.

“I live in the classical music world, but it can feel alien. I am Māori and I see how different the two worlds are … yet I’m in both of them.”

Liam’s endeavours got a major boost when the Te Āti Hau Trust awarded him a Robin Murphy-Peehi Scholarship in 2020.

“That was very important to help me further my studies, and I am very grateful,” says Liam of the scholarship, which runs for two years and is worth $8000 per year.

“It meant I could create my solo CD quite easily.”

The CD is a significant part of his doctorate and he believes it will be important for his future career. He has recorded all the music and is now in the editing process.

His appreciation of the trust’s support reflects what he sees as the precarious situation of trying to make a living as a professional musician.

“It is a burden that we carry and I feel it acutely – although, at no point in history has a musician had a stable work base.”

Liam keeps the trust updated on his progress, and Te Āti Hau Trust chair Shar Amner says: “Liam is in a unique field and we are very proud that we can support the descendants of the Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation in this way. He carries those who have gone before.

“It is our most prestigious award for those excelling in academic fields.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic has severely limited Liam’s ability to perform concerts, he can now look forward to playing in front of an audience again.

His first outing will be in Christchurch in July as part of The Morton Trio, with Alex Morton (horn) and Arna Morton (violin), when he is also hoping to catch up with some of his family.

“Performing feels like an extreme sport – the adrenalin rush is great. When I’m playing live I am flying dangerously … is it bravery or bravura?

“But I feed off my relationship with the audience. Recognising that I am playing to them gives purpose and meaning to my performance – and I haven’t been able to do that for a while.”

His playing career began at Westmere School and he pays credit to primary school teacher Sue Lupton, who was his tutor for eight years.

“As a child I was not very disciplined when it came to practice. I was very exploratory and it came easily to me when I was young … it has got harder as I have got older.”

After leaving Whanganui High School, where he was head boy, he studied music at the University of Auckland and then gained a masters degree at Waikato before spending three years at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in Melbourne.

On leaving the National Academy, he received the Volunteers Prize for Outstanding ANAM Citizen.

He performed with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra as a prize winner in the 2015 National Concerto Competition, and has been a soloist with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, Wellington Chamber Orchestra and with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

In 2020 Liam was an artist in residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada, and last July he took advantage of the Trans-Tasman bubble to play 12 concerts in New Zealand.

The concerts, under the auspices of Chamber Music NZ, included a performance at Whanganui’s War Memorial Centre.

“All my friends were home-bound and not able to play, so it was surreal for me to have those concerts. I was very lucky.”

And he promises to be back in his home town for Christmas.

In the meantime, he will continue to work on the Māori relationship to classical music, hoping to make a piece of music “that is authentically New Zealand”.

“Even if it doesn’t work, just the intent and by trying will push the field forward.”

The Robin Murphy-Peehi Scholarship

The Robin Murphy-Peehi Scholarship is offered to shareholders or direct descendants of shareholders of Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation.

It honours former incorporation chairman Reweti (Robin) MurphyPeehi, whose business acumen helped the Incorporation grow into a multi-million dollar concern.

The scholarship is offered for two years and applications for 2022 will be assessed by the Te Āti Hau Trust, with recommendations going to the Incorporation board.