Seven Birds of Aotearoa is a set of seven short movements titled after a selection of birds native to New Zealand—or, Aotearoa—all of which are either declining, endangered, or extinct. None of the movements are programmatic, but each one is musically and spiritually inspired by the unique bird for which it is titled. Nonetheless, I did not write about these birds with the intention of expressing any specific quality about them. Instead, this piece exists to express my love and awe for the natural world—here honing in on these seven species—in hopes of sharing these feelings with others.