Robert Wiremu: a voice that will resonate for generations to come

16 September 1970 - 18 July 2026

Robert (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) was a gifted vocal coach, pianist, composer, choral conductor, musician, linguist and educator whose influence on music in Aotearoa New Zealand was profound and far reaching.

Throughout his life, he placed education at the centre of his work, inspiring generations of singers, conductors, composers, and musicians through his teaching, mentorship, and artistry.

Robert grew up in Flaxmere, surrounded by music from an early age. It was his grandmother who first encouraged his musical journey, deciding that piano lessons would be a good idea and sending him to the same teacher who had taught his mother and aunties more than two decades earlier.

Reflecting on those formative years in a kōrero with Dale Husband for E-Tangata in 2025, Robert said, “And those piano lessons were like finding a place that felt like home. Music felt like home.” That sense of belonging through music remained a defining thread throughout his life and career.

After completing a degree in composition at Victoria University of Wellington, Robert came to the University of Auckland in 1993 to study singing with Beatrice Webster MBE.

Possessing a magnificent baritone voice, Robert sang in all of New Zealand’s national choirs, including the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir (NZSSC), the New Zealand Youth Choir (NZYC), and Voices New Zealand as well as the World Youth Choir.

He also sang with New Zealand Opera on many occasions, both as a soloist and in the chorus. In 1998 he went to Brisbane to continue his voice studies but returned to the University of Auckland later that year to teach for Beatrice Webster as her health began to fail. From that point onward, he remained at the University, becoming one of its most respected and influential educators.

For nearly three decades, Robert stood at the heart of vocal and choral education in New Zealand. His students valued not only his remarkable musical insight and expertise but also his gentle way of challenging them, always accompanied by his wicked sense of humour.

As a vocal coach, he provided fresh ideas and clear direction, helping singers feel genuinely seen, supported, and empowered in their development. Many of his former students now grace the stages of the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls.

As a teacher of musicianship, he taught almost every music student who passed through the School of Music during his tenure, and he was equally generous and nurturing as a mentor to many emerging composers. His innovative 'Vowel Clock' pedagogical system has become an important teaching resource for choir directors and voice teachers both in New Zealand and internationally.

Beyond the University, Robert inspired thousands of singers throughout the country through clinics and workshops for the NZ Choral Federation (NZCF), his work with the Auckland Chamber Choir, Auckland Choral Society, the national choirs, NZ Opera, NZ Singing School, and many other school and regional musical groups.

He taught music and worked with the choirs at Westlake Girls’ High School for many years and was vocal coach and pianist for both the NZSSC (on which he served as music director in 2007–2008) and the NZYC. He was also director of Opera in the Pā, continuing his commitment to nurturing young performers and fostering excellence in performance.

Robert's broad expertise was welcomed by many organisations. He served as a trustee for the NZCF, Choirs Aotearoa NZ (CANZ), the Auckland Chamber Choir, and the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, and he served as co-chair of SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music.

Robert was deputy director of the New Zealand National Singing School and was a member of the artistic team that helped establish the New Zealand Children's Choral Academy. He served as artistic adviser for CANZ and worked alongside fellow creators and producers to present their annual conference Sing Aotearoa.

More recently, he contributed to and conducted 'Matariki He Kahui Reo', a centrepiece of the 2024 World Choir Games, held in Auckland. Robert brought wisdom, generosity and vision to each role.

Although he often described himself as “an occasional composer", Robert's music earned international recognition and is admired for its originality, depth, and distinctive New Zealand voice.

His compositions and arrangements often centred on the human voice and are strongly influenced by Māori sounds and perspectives. They have been performed around the world by leading ensembles including the King's Singers, who performed his work 'Whina said...' and the BBC Singers, who performed 'Erebus' with Voices New Zealand.

'Erebus' is a landmark reimagining of Mozart's 'Requiem' that received widespread acclaim. The work was commissioned and premiered by Chamber Music New Zealand and Voices NZ in two concert tours though Aotearoa and later in at the Phoenix Festival in Hamburg and with the BBC Singers in London.

RNZ Concert recorded many of Robert's compositions and creative projects, most recently 'Toiere', a collaboration with NZ Opera, where he reimagined operatic arias and ensembles by blending the original languages with te reo Māori.

Robert's legacy lives on in the thousands of singers, students, composers, teachers, conductors, and colleagues whose lives he touched. He was a remarkable educator, an inspiring musician, a trusted mentor, a valued colleague, and a treasured friend. It was extraordinary how much he was able to achieve despite a long illness.

His contribution to music in Aotearoa is immeasurable, and the void left by his passing will be felt across the musical community for many years to come. He will be remembered with gratitude and affection, and celebrated through the music, learning, and artistry he devoted his life to fostering. In the people he shaped and the works he created, Robert's voice will continue to resonate for generations.

By Dr Morag Atchison, School of Creative Arts colleague and friend

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Haere mārire atu ki te pō, e hoa. Hoki atu ki Hawaiiki, ki te kāinga tūturu.
E ora tonu ana koe i ngā whakarerenga i tukua mai e koe ki tēnā,
ki tēnā o ngā ākonga o mua,
o nāianei hoki o te ao puoro ki Waipapa Taumata Rau.
Moe mai i roto i te rangimārie.

by Ataahua Papa