Arranger, composer, conductor, musician, educator - Tom Rainey has a lot of titles.
The Christchurch man’s most common one recently has been as arranger. He is the go-to man for many New Zealand artists looking to add impact to their work by adding an orchestra to the mix.
Bic Runga, Anika Moa, Julia Dean, Dave Dobbyn and Goldenhorse are among those who have sought him out. He worked with drum and bass band Shapeshifter and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) for the reopening of Christchurch’s Town Hall in 2019.
"That was an amazing experience," Rainey said.
He has also played a key role in helping orchestras extend their reach by playing more popular music. Last year he arranged music of The Beatles for a series of concerts with the CSO, Orchestra Wellington and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO), which also featured Annie Crummer, Laughton Kora and Cole Johnston.
This year he has done similar with Bee Gees music for the APO, featuring the voices of Ali Harper, Kora and Rutene Spooner and will revisit the Beatles concert "All You Need is Love" with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, featuring Luke Butson, Dominic Edmond, Emily Kerr-Bell, multi-talented Michael Grant, Finn Kite and Ella Ruddle. Christchurch’s Graham Wardrop is also playing.
"They [the concerts] have good audience appeal. We’re thrilled to be bringing it to Dunedin."
The concerts came about as Rainey was working with a producer who wanted to mount some orchestral shows and the Beatles’ music was an obvious first contender.
"We were looking for popular music that would integrate well in an orchestral setting and have good audience appeal, so the Beatles came up pretty early on. So it was the first show we developed and it turned out to be a really good show, going from the early days of Love Me Do right through to the more produced orchestral types like Hey Jude and Let it Be."
"It’s turned out the music right through from the beginning to the end of the Beatles era fits really well in an orchestral setting and of course it’s all really well known. It’s turned out to be a good strong concept."
However, it does not come without its challenges. Rainey aims for the songs to remain the heroes in the concert.
"It’s to integrate the orchestra in a way so it doesn’t become too overbearing. So the rhythm of the music is still at the heart of it but I try to integrate the orchestra in so it complements - it doesn’t detract from it - so it still sounds like the original tracks, but the bonus is there is this big orchestra behind.
"When you have the big moments, which happens a lot in the Beatles in say While My Guitar Gently Weeps or Hey Jude, some of those bigger songs, you really get the impact of the orchestra."
It is easier to arrange some sections of the orchestra than others, as strings and brass are a big part of pop music anyway, often appearing in the background so it is not too hard to integrate them.
"Sometimes the woodwinds are a bit more of a challenge to bring in. It certainly provides a huge wallop of power when required. I think it really enhances the experience of the music. You can bring in so many different feels and sounds."
The concerts are a continuation of a trend with shows like Synthony which bring together electronic dance music, live orchestra, DJs and performers. "Those are performed all around the world now and it began in Auckland."
"That was my first go at arranging orchestras with pop. Then I moved on and worked with Bic Runga, who did a concert with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra which became an album."
Since then a lot of artists have gone into the concert hall with an orchestra in an effort to "change it up" for their audience and enhance the experience.
"Shapeshifter was one of the more memorable ones. It’s such a huge-sounding band anyway.
"Artists in general are keen to work with orchestra, not only to change their sound or attract a slightly different audience - you get parents coming along with their kids, so it can broaden the appeal."
As many people might not have had an orchestral experience before, it is a good entry to that world, he says.
"Coming to see a pop act with an orchestra can be the first time they get to see or hear an orchestra in the flesh and that’s an amazing experience. That’s the coolest thing."
Another memorable concert was with singer-songwriter Tiki Taane where his music was integrated with the orchestra for a concert in the Christchurch’s Town Hall.
"Each brings a different experience but once the power of the orchestra comes in behind the artist it is really quite an amazing effect and experience."
Orchestras are now regularly including such concerts in their programmes. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has recently done concerts with Tami Neilson, Benee and Ria Hall.
"It seems to be a common thing for orchestras to engage with now."
In this work Rainey has found it interesting how some artists, while completely used to working with a band, find working with an orchestra is outside their comfort zone.
"You throw them in front of 50 or 60 professional musicians and it can be quite daunting for them. It’s not necessarily a smooth transition. For some it is, it might not throw them too much, but for others it is hugely challenging."
Rainey finds if the music is kept to its original intent and sound he does not have too many problems.
"I have changed the music up enormously and I’ve said to the artist ‘do you mind if I do something quite different with your song?’ An example is Tiki Taane’s Always On Your Mind which is a really well-known New Zealand song and I turned it into a big orchestral ballad. "
That was daunting for Rainey as not only does the audience know the song in its original form, the artist has an connection to it as it is.
"You’ve got to take a leap of faith with the artist to do that. As it turned out Tiki really loved that version. But it was a challenge to bring it to fruition. It became something else and I think he enjoyed that."
The orchestral sound can sometimes be "washy and overbearing" so it is a matter of using it carefully.
"You need to make sure you are bringing the artist along with you so there are not too many frights."
He worked with Stan Walker and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra for a performance at Nelson’s Opera in the Park last month. Just days before the concert, Walker had not heard the arrangements or sung them.
"I’m nervous about that. Fingers crossed.
"Orchestral arrangements take a long time to do. So you sit there thinking ‘is this going to work out?’ It’s quite a big leap of faith you are taking in what you do."
Unlike other music, orchestral music cannot be changed "on the fly".
Music has always been part of Rainey’s life. He trained classically but moved into performing in the pop and jazz worlds.
"At some point somebody said ‘why don’t you arrange something for an orchestra?’ and I got that first break."
He mostly arranges in the popular field and in jazz.
A huge part of his life has been his work in education. He helped establish and lead the development of the Christchurch Jazz School, which is now Ara Music Arts.
Then he went on to head Ara’s Performing Arts School, including Nasda, and became the head of Creative Industries. But after 28 years he decided to retire, although still does some teaching.
"I’ve pulled back from that and am now full time in music. There is always something going on."
That means having the time to perform himself, especially jazz, sometimes accompanying other artists.
He has a few gigs booked for the upcoming Christchurch Jazz Festival.
"I play the piano and the organ. I’m quite a regular performer."
After Covid people were still finding a live gig to be a novel experience, he said.
"Every time we are in a hall or a performance venue we are excited about the fact we can freely perform."
To see
All You Need Is Love - DSO Plays The Beatles, Dunedin Town Hall, March 11.
