Photo: Justin Michael Ng
Sistema Aotearoa is a ground-breaking programme to teach orchestral string instruments to young children in South Auckland.
This year is the organisation's 10th birthday, and there's a special concert at the weekend for Auckland Arts Festival.
Tekau! (the Māori word for “ten”) will feature 250 young musicians playing and singing Sistema Aotearoa favourites such as ‘Poi E’, ‘Pasifika Medley’ and ‘Maranga Rā’. And there'll be a new commission by songwriter Rob Ruha to mark the occasion as well.
"It's just going to be one huge lovely sound lifting the roof off the Aotea Centre," says Music Director Jess Hindin.
RNZ's Tim Dodd visited Sistema Aotearoa at their base in Ōtara in the lead-up to the concert. He spoke with Jess Hindin, Programme Director Rod Skipp, two of the Youth Leaders Eve Tuuaga Tiatia and Enyah Talamaivao, and Rob Ruha.
Auckland Arts Festival
Tekau! Celebrating 10 Years of Sistema Aotearoa
Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre
Sunday 11 April 2021, 4pm
