International Taonga Puoro Artist and Practitioner
Grammy award winning featured soloist and Maori musical instrument specialist Jerome Kavanagh (Poutama) hails from the Mokai Patea, Maniapoto, Kahungunu tribes (Maori) and the Caomhanach clan (Irish)
Maintaining his strong roots, Jerome has become part of a movement introducing Maori music, art and culture to the world. Over his career he has performed/recorded with artists from a variety of different genres which range from Hip Hop to Classical. His collaborations include The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (U.K) Moana and the Tribe (N.Z) Daniel Beddingfeild, Hayley Westenra, Joler Gaan (Bangladesh), Kevin Mark Trail "The Streets" (U.K) and two times Grammy award winning composer Christopher Tin (U.S.A).
Jerome joins only a handful of New Zealand musicians as a featured solo artist and lyricist on two time Grammy award winning album "Calling All Dawns" 2011 in "Kia Hora te Marino"(May peace be widespread) recorded at Abbey Road studios, London.
More recently he performed at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center alongside Distinguished Concerts New York International orchestra, Sydney Opera house with his band HuiA, The British Museum, Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum, Guest artist at Pasifika festival 2016 and was also a selected member of the New Zealand Art Delegation at the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts in the Solomon Islands.
This year Jerome toured India and Bangladesh sharing his Oro Atua Taonga Puoro sound bath experience and live performances with as a guest artist with the legendary Bangladesh band Joler Gaan. Alongside his musical career, Jerome is one of New Zealand’s most prolific Taonga Puoro workshop leaders and Guest Speakers.
At present he travels sharing his interactive , live show "Power to the Puoro" to thousands of children in Aotearoa, New Zealand along with, universities, museums, colleges, Indigenous communities and sound healing events worldwide.
Jerome will be here for the week presenting workshops in schools on Mo Te Haka, Ukutangi and Te Haa Aio
He will also be performing his Power to the Puoro Show in some schools and a combined Masterton School show thanks to the support of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust