Waipiro was Gareth Farr's first work for brass band, and was commissioned by the Brass Bands Association of New Zealand as the B-Grade test piece for the National Championships in 2000. The title refers to Waipiro Bay, a picturesque site north of Gisborne on New Zealand's East Cape; and perhaps also the Maori word for liquor (literally tranlating to ‘fermented water').
Gareth Farr is an indisputably colourful figure in New Zealand music. And whether scored for percussion duet or the resources of two large orchestras, Farr's music reflects his personality – bold, brash, or delicate and sensuous, but inevitably, immediately, engaging. Rhythmic elements of his compositions can be linked to the complex and exciting rhythms of Rarotongan log drum ensembles, Balinese gamelan and other percussion music of the Pacific Rim. In addition to his music for the concert chamber, Farr has written music for dance, theatre and television.
