This hour-long fundraiser concert of New Zealand, Māori and Pasifika songs was filmed on the Royal Albert Hall stage and features 21 UK-based Kiwi singers, pianist Bradley Wood, conductor Tianyi Lu and the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club.
Based in the UK for their careers or studies and unable to come home, Whānau London Voices have not been able to perform at all since theatres, opera houses and music schools closed in March 2020 due to Covid 19. Many have been ineligible for Government assistance and have struggled to find other work.
Whānau: Voices of Aotearoa, Far From Home was a live fundraiser concert, broadcast via media partner, Radio New Zealand for all to enjoy, with people given the opportunity to contribute to these world-class singers and musicians through their website whanaulondonvoices.com.
The concert was an initiative by the singers to improve their situations and was an opportunity for them to perform songs from home at scale and to spend time with other New Zealand singers after spending months in isolation.
Thanks to the famed Kiwi Number eight wire mentality and the support of sponsors including Royal Albert Hall who donated the venue, all funds raised are being funnelled to the performers to assist them in the coming months, before performance venues can open again.
“What started as just a simple idea of performing again grew into something that brought dozens of performers together from NZ and London to share and celebrate our country, culture, and what unites us,” said organiser Julien Van Mellaerts.
“We have been silenced for months through no fault of our own and we are incredibly proud and excited to have shared the smallest of insights into what it feels to be us at the moment, what our Whānau means to us, and how we long for home, for better times and to be together once again.”
Music lovers are encouraged to help support to these talented Kiwi musicians by purchasing the digital album via whanaulondonvoices.com. Alternatively, Whānau: Voices of Aotearoa, Far From Home is now available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Watch Whānau: Voices of Aotearoa, Far From Home here: