Waipoua was written after the composer, Gareth Farr, took a trip to the Waipoua forest in Northland. I like to remember walking through this magical place when I play it. The beautiful climax of this piece is like laying your eyes on the awesome Tāne Mahuta, the tallest and oldest Kauri tree in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a powerful, wise and incredible thing.

Another great thing about this concerto is how it really gives me the ability to focus on the musicality and shaping of the piece. Waipoua isn’t as technically difficult as other famous concerti, and its lyricism gives me plenty of opportunities to really add my own interpretation instead of having my mind and fingers flying all over the place. Having said that, it still poses some significant challenges to me. Gareth Farr writes pretty high in the clarinet range, while also in a quiet dynamic range. Let’s just say a lot of practice has gone into those moments, as they are the most powerful moments in the piece!