UR COMPOSERS

Douglas Lilburn described as “the of Takaka. It then travelled via Seoul, academic Dr. Suzanne Court and are elder statesman of Beijing and Tokyo to end up in published by Pro Arte Publications in a music” and the “grandfather of New . I was lucky enough to have collection of guitar works by New Zealand music”, died peacefully at his been the piece’s travelling companion Zealand composers called Guitar home in Wellington on 6th June 2001. for most of the way. This particular Aotearoa. Douglas Lilburn composed his journey has been integral to my Seventeen Pieces for Guitar between personal musical development as it “MATARIKI” SUITE FOR GUITAR 1962 and 1970 for local guitarist taught me all sorts of valuable lessons (2005) Ronald Burt. They are amongst the relating to music. If a musical problem World Premiere last of his works for acoustic was too difficult to solve I would leave Introduction instruments and can be heard as it for a while, sometimes over a period Tapuanuku providing a transition to his works in of months, before a solution was Tapuarangi the electronic medium. He also drew found. Sometimes this answer took Waiti Michael Hogan (b. 1971) inspiration from earlier works: No. 2 is hours of hard graft, but mostly it would Waita based on the penultimate song in his unravel of it’s own accord. In these Waipunarangi cycle Sings Harry to words by NZ poet months of not working on Homage I Ururangi Denis Glover: feel that I grew musically, obtaining MICHAEL HOGAN (b. 1971) the skills and instinct required to “Who plucked at me plucked Born in 1971 in Christchurch, New compose the next passage of the piece. holly, Zealand, Michael Hogan began But I pluck the flowers of the I have always revelled in the imme- playing music at the age of four with sea, diacy of Rodrigo’s, at times, macabre the recorder and then the piano at sings Harry” melodic and harmonic writing in seven years of age, followed by Invocation and Dance and Three The pieces are not intended to be sojourns on the banjo and drums until Spanish Pieces. These pieces are what performed in sequence, and can be discovering the guitar at the age of 12. formed the inspiration behind performed in any grouping. This instrument, so close to the human Homage. heart, became an obsession which has (Note by Peter Leask) continued throughout Michael’s life. PETER LEASK From the beginning of his musical THREE SAD WALTZES (1991) education Michael showed intrinsic Peter Leask was born in 1977 in Andante con rubato Lower Hutt, New Zealand. He talent for rhythm and ensemble Andante playing and was soon giving public began formal piano tuition at the Moderato age of seven and at fifteen he performances, the first at the age of KENNETH YOUNG (b. 1955) five. started learning the guitar, Kenneth Young is one of New appreciating the wide variety of Composition has always been an Douglas Lilburn (1915-2001) Zealand’s leading composer. Various innate presence in Michael’s life, styles it is capable of. In 1995 he commissions from Chamber Music studied classical guitar with manifesting itself in ensemble works, New Zealand, the New Zealand Sym- Matthew Marshall at the Con- song writing, improvisations and full phony Orchestra, the New Zealand servatorium of Music in Wellington, scale writing for such diverse genres as International Festival of Arts and graduating in 1998. At this time he bluegrass, rock, jazz and classical. Radio New Zealand have been was performing regularly in and “When I compose music, my ultimate performed nationwide and also in the arranging for Totally Plucked - The aim is always to reflect my environment. Wellington Guitar Quartet and Tango United States, Europe and Australia. Beginnng with the environment inside Vivo, a tango band quartet. An arm Recent highlights include his Piano my head, which is, in turn, influenced by injury in 2000 directed Peter’s Concerto premiered by the Auckland the environment around me. If I can energy into composition. In 2002 he Philharmonic Orchestra in August reflect this with honesty and integrity studied composition and orches- 2004, a Trio for trumpet, horn and then I feel that my job is complete. What tration with and Jack trombone written for the Talisker Trio the audience hears is its own business.” Body. Most recently, Peter has and premiered in a Chamber Music This obsession with the environment continued his interest in South NZ tour in June 2004 and he has also is no random fixation. Michael’s first American music by studying the recently completed a Concerto for memory is of Cyclone Tracy which improvisational music of Baden euphonium. devastated Darwin, Australia on Powell. In addition to his work as a Christmas Eve 1974, killing 50 people. Peter’s music has performed in composer, Kenneth Young has Michael was just three years old, but it concerts throughout New Zealand established himself as a performer and spurned a need to understand the and on Concert FM and Radio New conductor – a passionate and skilled elements. By the age of 12 Michael was Peter Leask (b. 1977) Zealand. his piece, Aatidahlge was interpreter of the romantic and 20th already journeying alone into the wilds recorded by Owen Moriarty on century repertoire is backed by twenty of the New Zealand bush and by the Owen’s self-titled album in 2003. years of practical orchestral playing as time he started his first job as a His music has been work-shopped principal tuba in the NZ Symphony bushman at 18, he was a competent by The New Zealand String Orchestra, giving him a specialised survivalist. Since then Michael has Quartet and his piece Gat Orc was rapport with his colleagues. As a worked as a forester, often living on- played by The U.S.C. Guitar conductor he has received recognition site and the tough beauty of the Ensemble directed by William for his recordings of New Zealand wilderness forms a decisive part of his Kanengiser and Scott Tennant. orchestral music including a CD of his music. own orchestral works, and works of Although moving into true Edwin Carr and , as well as compostion relatively late in his HOMAGE TO RODRIGO (2001) opera excerpts with the New Zealand musical life, Michael has produced World Premiere tenor, Keith Lewis. his most recent works of significance, such as the PETER LEASK (b. 1977) CD, New Zealand Landscapes features multi-media production “Toru” and Rodrigo’s compositions served to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra many solo guitar work. Michael propel Peter Leask into the world of playing works by five New Zealand currently resides on the rugged West classical music. A world that had been composers incuding Lyell Cresswell Coast of New Zealand’s South Island totally closed to him prior to hearing and Ross Harris. and is working on a modern political his solo guitar works. Kenneth Young has written a tragedy. Homage was conceptualised in New number of solo and chamber works for Zealand on a musical pilgrimage with guitar. Three Sad Waltzes were written © Copyright, J Sylvester, LACCS 2005: some friends to the isolated township in 1991 at the request of guitarist and All Rights Reserved Kenneth Young (b. 1955)