Ariana Tikao says criticism of a work she performed as part of Christchurch's Sonic Arts festival was racist.

Musician Ariana Tikao says criticism and noise complaints about her music is "racist" and shows "ignorance".

The piece, titled Karaka mai, Otautahi!, drew three noise complaints after it was played from the Christchurch City Council's four new navigation towers as part of the Audacious Festival of Sonic Arts over Labour Weekend.

It was described by Christchurch tour operator Robin McCarthy as being "truly horrible". McCarthy said his touring customers hated it.

"It conjured up images of being in North Korea or the Middle East where they blare out monotones in public spaces," he wrote.

Tikao said she was shocked by McCarthy's description of her work, a collaboration with Mahina-ina Kaui.

"I found it to be racist. I think it showed a lot of ignorance," she said.

"A touchstone for the piece we created for the festival was the Muslim call to prayer. I think they are beautiful. it was melodic, not a monotone. Do these people complain about the All Blacks haka being monotone?"

Tikao lives in Wellington, but describes Canterbury as both her home town and her "spiritual home".

Her material draws from her Kai Tahu heritage, particularly her marae, Onuku, near Akaroa.

Tikao writes with South Island Maori historical and cultural themes in her lyrics and musical language. Her album, From Dust to Light, was inspired by a photograph showing dust rising from Christchurch on the day of the 2011 earthquake.

Tikao said she was invited to create Karaka mai, Otautahi! for the Audacious Sonic Arts Festival.

"My name was put forward to create something to go in the towers, a mix of taonga puoro and vocals," she said.

"The karaka had four parts. The first was a welcome, a call to the city and from the city. But the idea was also to work in with the current sounds of the rebuild. During that process you're addressing kaupapa and welcoming and acknowledging who is visiting you."

The work had "site specific" themes of landmarks, including the Canterbury Plains and Port Hills, remembrance of those who had died, a call for peace and the acknowledgement of generations yet to come.

"The first was often used as a blessing for food and as it was close to Victoria Square, which was the old market square, it called upon the elements to bring forth produce. It was also an invitation to what might be possible in the city," Tikao said.

"The second talked about an old pa site. The third was reflective and the fourth, on Manchester St, was purely instrumental taonga puoro. It acknowledged the voices of the land."

It was the first time her material had received a negative response, she said.

"I have never had that reaction before. I was pleased with how it worked, I thought the festival brought a vitality to the city centre by allowing alternate voices to be heard," Tikao said.

"I suppose because it was out there in a public place people feel they can criticise without understanding it."

McCarthy stood by his comments and denied they were racist.

"I can't see how you can link that to racism at all, the artist must be very sensitive.

If you're an artist you have to accept that you're putting it out there to the people and if they don't have any choice to turn it off then you might have to put up with some criticism of your art."

He knew the music was in the Maori language but he didn't know what the lyrics were and said it was an "assault on the senses".

He suggested Sir Howard Morrison's rendition of How Great Thou Art in English and Maori would have broader appeal.