Among a number of other locations from the southern hemisphere, radiophonic art from New Zealand framed a focal point within the Long Night of Radio Art which Kunstradio designed for the on site - on line - on air project RADIOTOPIA and was broadcast in September 2002.br> One of the partners in this project, Radio New Zealand in Wellington provided a series of pieces which give a good impression of the variety of radiophonic art from New Zealand. The sound pieces selected for this broadcast were produced by Radio New Zealand for the program "Revolutions per Minute" (RPM).

Radio New Zealand consists of three radio networks: National Radio, Concert FM and the AM Network. It also produces Radio New Zealand International (SW), Radio New Zealand News and Current Affairs as well as the Sound Archive Nga Taonga Korero.

The innovative feature program "Revolutions per Minute" was developed and initiated by Matthew Leonard and presents radiophonic art, acoustic experiments, and documentaries in its weekly one hour broadcast. "It seeks to present the audience with works of the imagination and style, rather than what passes for information..."

"The Samoan Alphabet"

by xTusiata Avia

PLAY

http://www.kunstradio.at/2003A/MP3/09_03_03_alphabet.mp3

Tusiata Avia, a Polynesian poet/performer of the younger generation, makes her ambivalent attitude towards identity which relates to her Samoan heritage on the one hand and her status as a 'New Zealand' citizen on the other, subject of this lyrical sound piece: The artist who grew up bilingual builds the piece around a recitation of the Samoan Alphabet which consists of only 14 letters. The recording was made during a live performance at the 'Pataka' cultural centre in Porirua, north of New Zealand’s capital Wellington and was produced by Radio New Zealand in 2002.

The Samoan Alphabet:  A  E  I  O  U  F  G  L   M  N  P  S  T  V  (H  K  R)

"Fire Organ"

by Alastair Gailbraith

PLAY

http://www.kunstradio.at/2003A/MP3/09_03_03_fire.mp3

In order to create a series of sound improvisations, Alastair Gailbraith picked up the method of the scientific experiment. Using pyrex test tubes with a diameter that corresponds with that of a car exhaust, he built an instrument, the Fire Organ. By means of chemical reactions caused by igniting the gas content in the tubes and better known as a demonstration of 'standing sound waves', he produced micro thunderclaps. The sequence of these noises are the basis for a kind of Fire Organ concer which was recorded during an artist's residency at the Sarjeant Gallery in Wanganui/New Zealand.