Dr Andrew Faleatua is a music composer, performer, educator, and researcher. His vision is to push the envelope for Pasifika musical expression and support others who engage with this transcendent art form.
Andrew is a visiting research fellow at the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom. With the support of world-class music scholars/practitioners, he is expanding his research profile and honing his compositional craft (remotely). He is currently based in Wellington working on several composition projects that will be released later this year.
In 2024, Andrew was the Jazz Composer-in-Residence at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. Here he recorded an album (set to release in 2025) that integrated traditional Samoan instruments and musical motifs within a jazz improvisational framework. During that same year, he was the Pasifika Artist in Residence at Choirs Aotearoa, which entailed writing for Voices NZ. Some other 2024 projects of his include the soundtrack for KUI by Kakaia Productions, I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden directed by Vea Mafile'o, the soundtrack for Moemoana Safa'ato'a Schwenke's (2024 Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Islands) Siva Afi Talent Piece, the Sundscape for the 2024 Common Wealth Heads of Government Ceremony.
In 2023, Andrew secured the Global Digital Artwork Research Fund through Creative New Zealand to develop a series of VST (virtual sound technology) plugins for film composers (set to release in 2025). In the same year, he composed music for the Tikilounge television production 'Hanseli and Gretala' released by FreshTV. Alongside this, he featured as a piano accompanist on Soul Sessions for Jordyn With A Why and Maisey Rika. These were funded by NZ On Air to be aired on Tagata Pasifika and several other media networks.
December 2022, he composed the music for Behind Tomorrow - a CNZ funded dance feature film by Threading Frames. This was screened at The Capitol Cinema in Auckland. In July 2022, Andrew secured CNZ funding to direct his first short film Fo'i Mai Pepe. This was premiered in New Zealand at the Auckland Monterey Cinema. It was then screened at Pasifika Film Fest in Sydney, Australia. Fo'i Mai Pepe is a composition project that promotes the use of indigenous Samoan instruments, chants, and language in film composition. Earlier in 2022, Andrew composed the soundtrack for Australian short film Untitled and produced the groundbreaking track Brown Melodies.
In 2021, Andrew composed the music for Once A Panther by stuff.co.nz. This is a 6 part podcast series sponsored by NZ On Air (featured in New York Times Square in 2022). He also created the jingle for the 2021 Soul Sessions TV series. In the first episode of the series, he accompanied Pacific artists Sara-Jane Elika and Indira Stewart on piano. He also composed music for a NZ School of Dance project Creating with Threading Frames and Threading Frames short film Threading Moments.
In 2020, Andrew composed the music for Mama's Music Box as part of a #Feature30Challenge hosted by Cadness Street. For this challenge, the Cadness Street and M2S1 Films crew (including Andrew) were required to create an entire feature film for mainstream cinemas in 30 days. Audiences watched in anticipation as the team created everything from scratch via livestream videos on social media.
In 2019, Andrew composed the music for his third feature film Take Home Pay. It made waves in mainstream cinemas across New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S.A and was the 2nd highest NZ-made film at the NZ box office that year (global $1.1 million).
In 2018, Andrew composed the music for Hibiscus and Ruthless, which was released across cinemas worldwide and accumulated over $1 million globally. Its soundtrack single Feels like Fate hit number two on the NZ mainstream iTunes charts in early March, 2018.
In 2016, Andrew released the soundtrack to the motion picture Three Wise Cousins, which also gained considerable popularity in cinemas worldwide. It went on to make $2.3 million globally.
In 2015, Andrew was a finalist in the New Zealand Pacific Music Awards for his original Samoan jazz style composition Samoa Forever. This was linked to his international tour across Samoa and American Samoan for the inaugural Samoana Jazz Festival.
Some early works of his include All I See (EDM), Let It Spill (RnB), Kuki Jazz (Jazz Fusion) and Lest We Forget (Pacific Soul) and Emerald (Jazz Piano Improvisation).
He has a background in jazz piano performance and has performed at a variety of music venues around Auckland such as the CJC (Aotearoa Creative Jazz Club), Auckland Jazz and Blues Club and the Lewis Eady Series.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2023 - 2026: Visiting Research Fellow, University of Huddersfield
2024: Jazz Composer-in-Residence CNZ Grant
2023: Creative New Zealand Global Digital Artwork Research Fund
2022: Creative New Zealand Pacific Arts Grant
QUALIFICATIONS
2019: PhD, The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney
2014: MMus (First Class), University of Auckland
2013: BMus Hons (First Class), University of Auckland
2012: BMus, University of Auckland
SCHOLARSHIPS
2015 - 2019: Australian Postgraduate Award
2015 - 2019: Anne Reid Memorial Trust Scholarship
2014: University of Auckland Graduate Scholar Award
2013: University of Auckland Graduate Scholar Award
Andrew is a visiting research fellow at the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom. With the support of world-class music scholars/practitioners, he is expanding his research profile and honing his compositional craft (remotely). He is currently based in Wellington working on several composition projects that will be released later this year.
In 2024, Andrew was the Jazz Composer-in-Residence at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. Here he recorded an album (set to release in 2025) that integrated traditional Samoan instruments and musical motifs within a jazz improvisational framework. During that same year, he was the Pasifika Artist in Residence at Choirs Aotearoa, which entailed writing for Voices NZ. Some other 2024 projects of his include the soundtrack for KUI by Kakaia Productions, I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden directed by Vea Mafile'o, the soundtrack for Moemoana Safa'ato'a Schwenke's (2024 Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Islands) Siva Afi Talent Piece, the Sundscape for the 2024 Common Wealth Heads of Government Ceremony.
In 2023, Andrew secured the Global Digital Artwork Research Fund through Creative New Zealand to develop a series of VST (virtual sound technology) plugins for film composers (set to release in 2025). In the same year, he composed music for the Tikilounge television production 'Hanseli and Gretala' released by FreshTV. Alongside this, he featured as a piano accompanist on Soul Sessions for Jordyn With A Why and Maisey Rika. These were funded by NZ On Air to be aired on Tagata Pasifika and several other media networks.
December 2022, he composed the music for Behind Tomorrow - a CNZ funded dance feature film by Threading Frames. This was screened at The Capitol Cinema in Auckland. In July 2022, Andrew secured CNZ funding to direct his first short film Fo'i Mai Pepe. This was premiered in New Zealand at the Auckland Monterey Cinema. It was then screened at Pasifika Film Fest in Sydney, Australia. Fo'i Mai Pepe is a composition project that promotes the use of indigenous Samoan instruments, chants, and language in film composition. Earlier in 2022, Andrew composed the soundtrack for Australian short film Untitled and produced the groundbreaking track Brown Melodies.
In 2021, Andrew composed the music for Once A Panther by stuff.co.nz. This is a 6 part podcast series sponsored by NZ On Air (featured in New York Times Square in 2022). He also created the jingle for the 2021 Soul Sessions TV series. In the first episode of the series, he accompanied Pacific artists Sara-Jane Elika and Indira Stewart on piano. He also composed music for a NZ School of Dance project Creating with Threading Frames and Threading Frames short film Threading Moments.
In 2020, Andrew composed the music for Mama's Music Box as part of a #Feature30Challenge hosted by Cadness Street. For this challenge, the Cadness Street and M2S1 Films crew (including Andrew) were required to create an entire feature film for mainstream cinemas in 30 days. Audiences watched in anticipation as the team created everything from scratch via livestream videos on social media.
In 2019, Andrew composed the music for his third feature film Take Home Pay. It made waves in mainstream cinemas across New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S.A and was the 2nd highest NZ-made film at the NZ box office that year (global $1.1 million).
In 2018, Andrew composed the music for Hibiscus and Ruthless, which was released across cinemas worldwide and accumulated over $1 million globally. Its soundtrack single Feels like Fate hit number two on the NZ mainstream iTunes charts in early March, 2018.
In 2016, Andrew released the soundtrack to the motion picture Three Wise Cousins, which also gained considerable popularity in cinemas worldwide. It went on to make $2.3 million globally.
In 2015, Andrew was a finalist in the New Zealand Pacific Music Awards for his original Samoan jazz style composition Samoa Forever. This was linked to his international tour across Samoa and American Samoan for the inaugural Samoana Jazz Festival.
Some early works of his include All I See (EDM), Let It Spill (RnB), Kuki Jazz (Jazz Fusion) and Lest We Forget (Pacific Soul) and Emerald (Jazz Piano Improvisation).
He has a background in jazz piano performance and has performed at a variety of music venues around Auckland such as the CJC (Aotearoa Creative Jazz Club), Auckland Jazz and Blues Club and the Lewis Eady Series.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2023 - 2026: Visiting Research Fellow, University of Huddersfield
2024: Jazz Composer-in-Residence CNZ Grant
2023: Creative New Zealand Global Digital Artwork Research Fund
2022: Creative New Zealand Pacific Arts Grant
QUALIFICATIONS
2019: PhD, The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney
2014: MMus (First Class), University of Auckland
2013: BMus Hons (First Class), University of Auckland
2012: BMus, University of Auckland
SCHOLARSHIPS
2015 - 2019: Australian Postgraduate Award
2015 - 2019: Anne Reid Memorial Trust Scholarship
2014: University of Auckland Graduate Scholar Award
2013: University of Auckland Graduate Scholar Award
