Modern Māori Quartet Wins Award and Heads to Hawai'i
The acclaimed Modern Māori Quartet is riding a wave of success picking up a performance award on their recent Asian
tour, selling out performances at Christchurch Arts Festival and confirming a season in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
The Māori foursome toured to Malaysia, Uzbekistan and Singapore in August resulting in receiving the ‘Most Daring & Emotional Performance’ Award at the 10th Sharq Taronalari International Music Fesitval in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
“We had such a great time at the festival,” said band member Maaka Pohatu. “We were treated like Kings the whole time
and then to win the award – that was just fantastic.”
Since returning to New Zealand MMQ performed two sold-out performances at Christchurch Arts Festival. But they’re
packing their bags again and heading off to perform in Hawai’i at the Kumu Kahua Theatre in Honolulu on 21 and 22
September.
New Zealand audiences still get their taste of Modern Māori Quartet as they continue to tour under the PANNZ Touring
Agency banner with concerts in Palmerston North on Wednesday 30 September, in Whanganui on Thursday 1 October, and in
Blenheim on Friday 2 October.
Coming together from different corners of Aotearoa, Modern Māori Quartet performs their signature cabaret show, An
Evening with the Modern Māori Quartet, filled with waiata, humour and charm.
A fresh take on classic Māori showbands, Modern Māori Quartet (MMQ) are a good looking, suave and multi-talented Māori
foursome who love crooning their spin on modern and classic numbers.
MMQ comprises of four talented Toi Whaakari graduates, James Tito, Maaka Pohatu, Matariki Whatarau and Francis Kora* who
all lead illustrious careers outside of their work together.
In 2011 James Tito was nominated as Most Promising Male Newcomer at the 2011 Chapman Tripp Awards. He was inspired by
the Māori showbands and entertainers of yesterday to establish the Modern Māori Quartet. Maaka Pohatu has performed in
numerous productions such as the critically acclaimedStrange Resting Places and The Māori Troilus and Cressida, which featured at the prestigious Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Matariki Whatarau’s screen credits include Find Me A Māori Bride, The Almighty Johnsons, Go Girls and The Pā Boys and for the last decade, The Pā Boys co-star Francis Kora has been a musician with (and now the frontman of) iconic NZ band KORA.
Their show promises a trip down memory lane into New Zealand's musical past and present as well as recent international
hits, all with a unique Modern Māori Quartet twist and flavour.
“Billed as the new face of Maori showbands, handsome, hilarious and harmonious, The Modern Maori Quartet is
entertainment at its best." – Theatreview
“The Modern Maori Quartet radiate good times” – Metro
“It’s not surprising that the members of MMQ are all, first and foremost, brilliant actors. Coincidentally, they happen
to be amazing musicians that explode with chemistry whenever they’re in the same room.” – Regional News (Wellington)
*Francis Kora will be replaced by Jamie McCaskill in Palmerston North, Blenheim and Whanganui
ENDS