Mere Boynton singing in Ngā Hihi o Matariki Photo: Screenshot NZSO/Latitude Creative
Singer, composer, arts administrator: Mere Tokorahi Boynton is one of four Māori musicians featured in a new online series presented by Aotearoa's digital musical resource, SOUNZ.
Inspiring Journeys Through Music Hōtaka Māori: Insights from waiata-makers, features interviews with performers and composers Rei, Pere Wihongi, and Ria Hall as well as Boynton, in conversation with broadcaster Alana Te Piki Broughton.
In it, Boynton (who is Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Ngāti Oneone, and Ngāi Tūhoe), talks about her musical journey which began with her singing to the sheep on the whānau farm to becoming one of the leading administrators of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts.
Running through her story is the deep love and support of her mother and father, who encouraged her first in kapa haka, then as a classical singing student, then to being a singer with the ground-breaking band Aotearoa (famous for singing in Te Reo) and also to her work in arts administration advocating for Te Ao Māori's presence in the national arts scene.
As one of the artistic directors of the 2024 International Arts Festival, Boynton set about making sure half of the works on show were either Māori or indigenous in origin.
Yet, Boynton continues to enjoy the challenge of singing western classical music and is grateful for the lessons and kindness she received from her Gisborne teacher, the late Maureen Potroz.
Speaking to RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump, Boynton says she's taken a step back from arts administration to recharge and refocus on musical performance. Her next gig is next month in Portland, USA, to perform a piece devised by Aotearoa-born artist Sam Hamilton, which imagines the Prime Meridian moving from Greenwich, London, to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa/Gisborne.
And yes, she'll be singing in Te Reo Māori.
Mere Boynton, Eric Renick Photo: RNZ/Tim Dodd
