Voices of Women

Help these women's voices to be heard! 

We are excited to be leading this project, conceived and developed by talented NZ composer, Janet Jennings, to revive and set to music the words of amazing wahine from Aotearoa, who have worked to better the lives of women.  You can help ensure we can offer a free public performance of this new music, and ensure that it is professionally recorded for all the world to hear.  Importantly, we want to ensure our artists are paid a fair fee for their work, and this is where we particularly need your help.  Your donation will help ensure we have enough funds that this can happen.

Who's involved?

Composer Janet Jennings has especially chosen words that capture the struggle of women to reach equality, summarising where we have come from, and what we have achieved.  She also has chosen words that reflect on how far we have yet to go.  These are important messages for our time - even though some of the words were first spoken many years ago.

The talented female musicians bringing the compositions to life include Yoshiko Tsuruta,Maia-Dean Martin, Catrin Johnsson, Te Ohorere Williams, Stephanie Acraman, Rachel Thomas, and Noelle Dannenbring, and the music includes interesting mixes of voice, marimba, piano, percussion and violin.  You can help recognise their skills and talents by supporting this project!

Words of the following women will be set to music:

1. Kate Sheppard: words from one of her most influential speeches of 1892;

 2. Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860 -1935): Charlotte was a prominent American writer/lecturer for social reform who served as a role model for future generations of feminists;

 3. ?kenehi T?moana (died 1908) (Ng?i Te Rangiit?, Ng?ti Papa-tua-maro, Ng?ti Ngarengare, Ng?i Turahi): ?kenehi was a prominent M?ori leader of chiefly status. She was a strong advocate for women's rights on multiple fronts;

 4. Meri Te Tai Mangak?hia (1868-1920) (Ngati Te Reinga, Ngati Manawa and Te Kaitutae): Meri was an influential activist in the 1890s; and

 5. Jacinda Ardern: N.Z.'s Prime Minister has given permission for her words to be used for this project.

Your support will help revive and highlight the issues of equality for women.

Free performances

We are providing free live performance for the public to attend, immediately prior to recording the music.

We already have commitment from New Zealand recording label, Atoll Records, to record this music, and SOUNZ have committed to videoing the live performance.

We need your help to get these important voices recorded and out into the world!  We have some funding already but to meet minimum costs, including costs of recording and making sure our female artists are paid fairly for their mahi, we are projecting a $5000 shortfall.  We hope you will help make sure this project can go ahead and the voices of NZ women be sent out around the globe!