Rosa Elliott Photo: Supplied
An “incredible way with haunting melodies, matched perfectly with choral colours”.
That’s how Voices NZ Associate Conductor Isaac Stone has described the music of Rosa Elliott, a young Christchurch composer currently studying for her Masters in Auckland.
Rosa is the winner of both the Under-25 section and Composer-in-Residence position in the inaugural Compose Aotearoa! competition from Choirs Aotearoa, the umbrella organisation that runs Voices NZ, the NZ Youth Choir and the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir.
Rosa is no stranger to competition wins for her music: in her final year of school she won the Big Sing SOUNZ Composition Competition.
Rosa spoke with Upbeat about her Compose Aotearoa! work ‘Seas Unexplored’, her interest in reflecting contemporary concerns in her music, and how her love for literature feeds into her composing for voices.
Other Compose Aotearoa! prizewinners were Chris Artley (Open Category) and Reuben Rameka (Waiata Tira Category)
Choirs Aotearoa has announced that the competition Aotearoa! will become an annual event, thanks to support from a generous private donor.
