Takerei Komene
Takerei is a singer, insttumentalist, composer and conductor studying at the University of Auckland, where they are completing a Master of Music majoring in Classical Performance (Voice) under Dr Te Oti Rakena. They also study choral conducting under Dr Karen Grylls. Takerei is very active in the NZ choral scene as a singer, composer and conductor. They sing in the Auckland Youth Choir, New Zealand Youth Choir, and the Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir.
Their compositions have been performed by various choirs around Auckland - Ngā Roimata o te Tūrama was commissioned for the Auckland Youth Choir in 2019, and was premiered in Sydney in July of that year. Their arrangement of The Wellerman, co-written with composer Blake Scanlen, was written for the New Zealand Youth Choir, and forms an integral part of their repertoire. They have also written many solo works, with them being performed at prestigious national competitions such as the Napier Aria Competition and the North Shore Senior Vocal Competition.
Alongside this, Takerei is actively involved as a conductor. They are the Peter Godfrey Conducting Scholar for the New Zealand Youth Choir, as well as the director of both the Auckland University Student Choir, and the auditioned choir of Auckland Grammar School, Grammarphonics. The latter performed at the NZCF Big Sing Cadenza Festival in August of 2021, where they were awarded with a Distinction award.
Takerei was given the Development Award at the University of Auckland Douglas Lilburn Trust Composition Prize for their work, Ngā Moemoea o te Ata Māhina (Dreams of Moonlight), for SSAA, Handbells and Percussion.
(Updated November 2021)
