Collaboration
It has been an enormous privilege to have collaborated with other artists and musicians on projects over the years. Below, you'll find some of the projects in which I've been involved.
Muriwai
Long time collaborators, Ariana Tikao and Bob Bickerton formed the duo Muriwai in 2024 to explore a music concept that resulted in a new album and a national concert tour produced by Chamber Music New Zealand which received critical acclaim.
The name Muriwai refers to a confluence of two rivers with Bob and Ariana’s music a convergence of Māori and Celtic musical traditions through vocals, taonga pūoro and Celtic harp. Check out our website for more details:
Muriwai, the album is now available on Oro Records.
Featuring music from Ariana and Bob’s 2024 Chamber Music New Zealand Tour, the album explores a journey through time and place starting with a Kāi Tahu creation story relating to water, through to the arrival of people in Te Waipounamu, our impact on the environment, and imagined consequences of our actions.
To listen to the album, watch featured tracks and to download detailed album notes go to the Muriwai website above.
In Concert
SOUNZ and Radio New Zealand recorded our concert in the Gillies Group Theatre, Whirinaki Whare Taonga, Upper Hutt, 10 October 2025. Filmed and edited by Chris Watson for the SOUNZ Films Project (funded by NZ On Air). Audio provided by RNZ Concert.
Tense
It's always a pleasure to support Donna McLeod in her many projects.
Featuring the wonderful story-telling of Donna McLeod, artistry of Te Oro Hā and with Cindy Batt and Callum O'Leary as well as myself supporting on taonga pūoro, Tense played to sold out shows in the 2023 Nelson Arts Festival.
New Zealand String Quartet
I've been fortunate to have perfromed a few times with my good friends at the New Zealand String Quartet, Helene Pohl, Monique Lapins, Gillian Ansell and Rolf Gjelsten. Here's a couple of links to those performances, thanks to RNZ Concert and SOUNZ.
Ngā Roimata o Mānuka
It was such an honour and pleasure to work with Helene, Monique, Gillian and Rolf plus composer Gillian Whitehead on this new work. Ngā roimata o Mānuka was commissioned by the New Zealand String Quartet for the 2024 Adam Chamber Music Festival. This first performance was given on 4 February 2024 at the Nelson Centre for Musical Arts.
The work was inspired by many happenings over a long period of time and there's a lovely article about the back stories to the work on Gillian's website here: Gillian Whitehead
Hine Pu Te Hue
Hine Pu Te Hue was the first work composed for taonga puoro and string quartet and written by Dame Gillian Whitehead in 2002 for the New Zealand String Quartet and Richard Nunns. A digital performance was broadcast as part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts in 2022 to mark the 20th anniversary of the first performance.
Unfortunately, Horomona Horo was unable to perform as he was isolating with Covid19, so I ended up being called in at the last moment! What a pleasure to perform with my good friends Helene, Monique, Gillian and Rolf in the New Zealand String Quartet.
You can visit my listing at SOUNZ by selecting this link:
Nelson Composers Workshop
I've been fortunate indeed to perform new works in the Nelson Composers Workshop over the last two years. I find it to be a wonderfully creative space, fascinating new works and wonderful musicians with which to collaborate.
Here's a couple of examples of improvised pieces, one with the wonderful Mahina Ina Kingi Kaui and the other with virtuoso percussionist Justin DeHart.
Ko te Tātai Whetū
Exhibitions
Since 2016 I have had the pleasure of working with Robin Slow, Brian Flintoff, Ariana Tikao, Holly Tikao-Weir and Solomon Rahui on a series of exhibitions. These exhibitions, all with a kaupapa Māori focus, have received critical acclaim with the exhibition Ngā Hau Ngākau touring around Aotearoa to various Art Galleries and Museums.
Click on an image below to watch an exhibition video:
Exhibition Videos
Film Soundtracks
Over several years a group of us composed and recorded soundtracks for several films directed by Kathleen Gallagher.
Featuring Richard Nunns on taonga puoro, Aroha Yates-Smith singing waiata, joined also by her son Taihuka and myself on traditional Irish instruments.
These were some of the most creative and enjoyable moments I have spent in the studio, immersing oursleves for a full week, starting with a blank page and finishing with wonderful music.
We released two CDs of the music from these films which you can enjoy here.
Scroll through tracks
Scroll through tracks
North South
North South is an epic poetry cycle written by Glen Colquhoun, extracts from which were used in the Green Fire Islands production in 2008 for which I happened to provide live sound.
It explores concepts of Māori and Celtic mythology and what would happen if they intertwined.
The concept was developed into a touring show, directed by Sara Brodie and featured Glen reciting the poetry, Richard Nunns playing taonga puoro and myself on traditional Irish instruments.
Traditional Irish Music
Collaborations made through playing traditional Irish music are extensive and too numerous to list here.
Highlights might include performing for dancers at the National Feis with Gael Force, recording a piece with the NZSO on uilleann pipes (terrifying), creating the Irish show Cruisich and playing many years with my wife Evey and then others for ceilidh dances as Flying Feet.
I would like to particularly acknowledge my wife Evey McAuliffe, daughter Ceara McAuliffe-Bickerton as well as some of my key associates over the years including Barrie McDonald, David Kidron, Brendyn Montgomery, Pat Riddet, Davy Stuart, Alex Davidson and Jock Walton.
Click on photo below to see a gallery.
Ceara, Evey and Bob
Bana Nua
Cruisich
Gael Force (Late 1980s)
Gael Force (Early 1980s)
Gaelic Society Choir (1987)
Jimmy Leith's Ceilidh Band (Early 1980s)
