The Flow Collective, pictured live at the Royal Whanganui Opera House in 2022. Photo/ Steve Caudwell
The Flow Collective, pictured live at the Royal Whanganui Opera House in 2022. Photo/ Steve Caudwell
The Flow Collective are coming to the Ōhau Hall this weekend with original music inspired by the Whanganui River that has been performed internationally.
Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt is a unique show that celebrates the Whanganui River and the stories of its people. It is made up of 16 original compositions by Elizabeth de Vegt using poems from Airini Beautrais’ collection Flow: Whanganui River Poems as lyrical inspiration.
The poems, which were published in 2017, explore the Whanganui River from its geological formations to its people and its history, both Māori and colonial.
Airini Beautrais and Elizabeth de Vegt. Photo / Steve Caudwell
Beautrais’ work inspired de Vegt to set some of her poems to music, and she was approached for permission. The compositions were premiered to a live audience in March of 2021 in an outdoor setting, overlooking the Whanganui River, the creative life blood of the project.
After that first public airing de Vegt, again with Beautrais’ blessing, embarked on the next phase of the project and enlisted more Whanganui musical talent - Hamish Jellyman, Andrew Wetherall, Brad McMillan and Elise Goodge to help perform the compositions.
The compositions celebrate Beautrais’ poems by exploring traditional and contemporary musical forms, including jazz, working songs, sea shanties, folk, country and pop. More importantly, this unique creative collaboration elevates the stories at its core ensuring they continue to be shared and remembered.
The show features de Vegt (lead vocals, piano, guitar) with accompanists Wetherall (guitar), Jellyman (bass and backing vocals), McMillan (drums) and Goodge (taonga puoro and backing vocals). The group is known as The Flow Collective.
WGP 23Feb22 - The Flow Collective - Elise Goodge (left), Brad McMillan, Elizabeth de Vegt, Andrew Wetherall, Hamish Jellyman. Photo / Steve Caudwell Photography
Composer de Vegt completed her Masters in music majoring in composition at Waikato University. She had the support of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation for her creative studies, including travelling to America to attend Bang on a Can.
Her contemporary classical compositions have been performed internationally and by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
De Vegt said they were thrilled to be invited to play at the Ōhau Hall.
“We love performing the show in unique and quintessentially New Zealand venues and this venue is certainly that.”
Throughout the writing process for the show, the musicians worked with Te Rūnanga o Tūpoho. Renowned Whanganui artist and designer Cecelia Kumeroa, Tūpoho Arts Representative, and Sacha Te Utupoto Keating generously agreed to consult on the project.
Their advice resulted in some alterations, and also affirmation that the music appropriately represents the Māori stories and kaupapa referenced within.
Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt is presented by Dale’s Acoustic Live Events and will be performed at the Ōhau Hall, Sunday, November 19, at 3pm. Doors open at 2.30pm. Tickets are available from Under the Radar. Admission is $20. Cash door sales, CDs and programmes will be on sale on the day.
- “This is a gorgeous album, timeless in its approach, and beautiful in all facets.” - Kev Rowland - Music Net NZ
- “She brought Airini’s words into a whole new world, and all five musicians played as one throughout. Only a special outfit can do that. Did I mention the smiles? There were lots, from band and audience alike.” - Michael Tweed - NZME
