Te Awamutu composer to show work to the world with extended play release

Gabrielle Peake learnt to play the piano while living in Te Awamutu and has just released her extended play, Fearne. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland-based pianist and composer who grew up in the Te Awamutu area released an extended play (EP) late last year and has another one on the way.

In November, 31-year-old Gabrielle Peake released 'Fearne' at a listening party where she played all four of her tracks; Felt, Colour Far Away, Fearne and Adieu, on a 1918 New York Steinway piano for about 50 guests at a private residence in Auckland.

"It was a really beautiful evening> People were sitting around the piano and on the carpet just soaking up the music," said Gabrielle.

Fearne was never intended to be an EP and only culminated from her sitting at the piano doing what she loves - writing - and then realising a number of her items complimented each other nicely.

The items were in the pipeline for around a year and a half before Gabrielle released Fearne.

"I've been working on composing for the past three years and I'm just ready now to put myself out there into the world, it's all quite new," said Gabrielle.

"It's quite hard to know where inspiration comes from, it's a lot of improvising and sitting at the piano playing notes and seeing what music comes."

She described her music as cinematic and emotive and says there is a particular way she encourages people to listen to Fearne.

Gabrielle Peake hosted a release party in Auckland last year to debut Fearne. Photo / Supplied

"The music is best enjoyed if people put really good headphones on, lie flat on the floor and allocate their time to the whole EP and listen to it right through," said Gabrielle.

In a review on music.net.nz Mike Alexander wrote: "Fearne is a rarity in New Zealand music – a solo piano EP that's not drawn from re-workings of the classical cannon, and therefore has few reference points. More power to it."

Gabrielle started playing the piano when she was six. Her tutor was Te Awamutu local Beverley Bryant. She went on to earn a Master's Degree with first class honours in Piano Performance at the University of Auckland.

Come March, Gabrielle will release another EP titled Arrow which will be a continuation of Fearne and feature three tracks.

In May last year she also released an EP that was commissioned by Les Mills for its body balance workout classes which combine yoga, Pilates and meditation. The EP was called London Tree.

Gabrielle's goal is to be able to compose music full time and her next project she'll be working on will be an album.

Fearne and London Tree are both available on all streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Tide. When Arrow is released it will also be available on all platforms.