David Vine Music
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David Vine Conductor Accompanist Harpsichordist Composer Editor Teacher [email protected] BIOGRAPHY David Charles Vine was born in London in 1943. He began his formal musical studies on the piano with Iris Paine, followed by school tuition on violin and ‘cello. After a family move to Northamptonshire in 1956, he joined the local youth orchestra as a ‘cellist, while taking every opportunity to develope his skills as piano accompanist and chamber-music player. He was awarded first prize on two occasions in the piano section of the Northampton Eisteddford. In 1961 he began four years of full-time study at the Royal College of Music in London, where his teachers included Cornelius Fischer, Bernard Roberts and Eric Harrison (piano), Joan Trimble (piano accompaniment), Millicent Silver (harpsichord), Hubert Dawkes (baroque ensemble playing), Michael Mulliner (harmony and counterpoint), Bernard Stevens (keyboard harmony and composition) and later, Sir Adrian Boult (conducting). Following his studies, David Vine was appointed as a specialist music teacher for the Inner London Education Authority, and also tutored in baroque music at the Guildhall School of Music (as assistant to Mme Celia Bizony), and the City Literary Institute. He founded the London Telemann Ensemble, and fulfilled many professional engagements as a soloist, accompanist, and conductor, working with such distinguished musicians as Isobel Baillie, Janet Craxton, Paul Esswood, Kenneth Montgomery, Sarah Walker, Carl Davis, and Sir Charles Groves. He settled in New Zealand in 1974 to take up the post of H.O.D. Music at Gisborne Girls High School, and took a leading role in the City’s musical life. In 1978 he moved to Christchurch to study for a music degree at Canterbury University, later joining the Staff as an Assistant Lecturer. The Christchurch School of Instrumental Music appointed him as conductor and tutor in harpsichord and chamber music, and he founded the Academy of St Alban’s Chamber Orchestra, and was co-founder of Academy Opera. The newly-formed Canterbury Opera invited him to join the Company as Repetiteur and Assistant Musical Director for two seasons. Based in Wellington since 1989, he tutored at the Wellington Polytechnic and later joined the staff of Massey University as a part-time tutor and accompanist. Continuing his career as a free-lance musician he has conducted the National Youth Orchestra, Wellington Polytechnic Orchestra, Dunedin Sinfonia and Schola Cantorum, Auckland Philharmonia, Amici Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Albans, Christchurch Youth Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Nelson Regional Orchestra, Wellington Chamber Orchestra and the Wellington Sinfonia. As Musical Director he has conducted the Gisborne Choral Society, Christchurch Operatic Society, Jubilate Singers, Perkel Opera, Phoenix Choir, Academy Chamber Orchestra, Academy Opera, and has been Assistant Musical Director and Chorus Master for Canterbury Regional and Wellington City Opera Companies, and the Wellington Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company. In 1984 he was invited to play harpsichord continuo for the visiting Stuttgart Youth Chamber Orchestra and during the 1990’s worked as a contract keyboard player for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, taking part in six of the orchestra's compact disc recordings As a piano accompanist, David Vine has broadcast for Concert FM, played for visiting artists to NZ, including Master Classes held by Madame Virginia Zeani at the Wanganui Opera School, and Sarah Walker during her visit as adjudicator for the Mobil Song Quest. In 1998 David Vine recorded a compact disc of songs by Italian opera composers with soprano Patricia Wright, and in 2007 accompanied Patricia Wright and Patrick Power in the world premiere recording of his own edition of the complete songs of conductor Arturo Toscanini for Radio New Zealand’s Concert Network. For the Alfred Hill commemoration celebrations in Wellington in 2007, David Vine was invited as pianist to perform in four recitals featuring the composer’s violin and viola sonatas and songs. David Vine holds a First-class Honours Degree (Mus.B.Hons) in harpsichord performance, and has lectured at the Universities of Canterbury, Auckland, Waikato and Massey. Acknowledged as one of the country's finest harpsichordists, accompanists and conductors, David Vine can be heard frequently in concert, and is a regular broadcaster on Radio New Zealand's Concert Programme. As co-founder and Musical Director of Academy Opera he has conducted New Zealand premieres of major operas by Handel, Mozart and Puccini. His interest in composition and editing of rare music has led to publications in the U.S.A. Austria and New Zealand. Since 2007 he has been assistant editor for Massey University Music, specialising in new editions of rare vocal and instrumental works from the 18 th century. At present David Vine is Director of Academy Opera, director/harpsichordist of the chamber ensemble Divertimento. In 2012, with Roger Flury, he established DavidVineMusic.com to publish his own orginal compositions, transcriptions, arrangements and editions. PRESS REVIEWS DAVID VINE - Conductor "..a musician of extraordinary dedication and drive." The Press "The conductor, David Vine, directed his forces masterfully, shaping a lively performance with conviction and sensitivity throughout." Christchurch Star "David Vine is a fine conductor, capable of spiriting an impassioned performance." New Zealand Listener "In his direction, David Vine once again revealed himself as a musician of the highest integrity. He compromised nothing in searching for the true musical style of the work, and bringing it to life with vitality and refinement of detail. His conducting was always secure, with perfectly judged speeds and rhythmic flexibility. The ultimate triumph...belongs fairly to David Vine. He is an uncompromising perfectionist in all he does." Christchurch Star "Some would have been proud to have given Beethoven the integrity, the truth that was the essence of Sunday's concert. He conducts with clarity, sensitivity, understanding and authority. The considerable accomplishments of David Vine must be one of Wellington's best kept music secrets." Evening Post "Responsibility for the success of an opera depends on the conductor. David Vine is a very experienced musician and at all times had complete control over his forces, with good lively tempi and a sympathetic understanding of balance between soloists and orchestra. The success of this presentation (of Carmen ) was due in no small way to his professional leadership." Nelson Evening Mail "Of course conductor David Vine must take the credit for the success of the performance as a whole. His direction showed understanding and discipline. We should have much more from him." Dominion "Last night was one of the year's high points; six first class soloists, the Wellington Regional Orchestra at a new high level of excellence; all directed with sensitivity, liveliness and attention to detail." Evening Post "There was a joyous celebratory feeling about his performance (of Messiah) given in concert opera performance and baroque style and refreshingly free of false religious overtones. Achieving an admirable balance, Mr Vine set the style right from the start, giving choruses and arias rhythmic drive and purpose... all in all an inspiring performance." Otago Daily Times PRESS REVIEWS DAVID VINE - Harpsichord and Clavichord. "..an outstandingly intelligent Baroque music stylist with a technique and vitality to match." Christchurch Star "..he chooses to remain here when he could be employable as a harpsichordist in any city of the world. We are lucky to have him here. His playing throughout all four sonatas was, as usual, a joy to hear." Christchurch Star "..to my mind there is no harpsichordist in the country to match him. A penetrating and highly informed knowledge of stylistic niceties always shines through an impeccably stable technique." Christchurch Star "David Vine is a fine musician - a quality which shows clearly in his playing - and a harpsichordist of no mean ability". Napier Daily Telegraph "The virtuoso interludes for harpsichord were executed with skill and a certain amount of entirely excusable showmanship." Opera Australia "David Vine also played the harpsichord for the recitatives and presented some breathtaking playing in the aria "Vo far guerra". Christchurch Press "..the elegance and liveliness of David Vine's playing was a delight." Wellington Evening Post "Technique, intellectual insight, and a finely-tuned imagination: what more do you need for Bach? David Vine has it all. His recital was a delight from beginning to end." Christchurch Star "It was remarkable how, within the very small dynamic range available, even smaller variations of volume were so telling, particularly in the hands of so gifted a player." Wellington Evening Post "The best playing of the evening was heard in Haydn's Klavier Concerto in D, with the solo harpsichord in the very capable hands of David Vine." Waikato Times "David Vine is impressive to hear both as an impeccable technician (the neatness of his fingerwork and embellishment) and as a baroque stylist especially in matters of rhythm. He can dispatch a bouree or gigue with a tremendous rhythmic spring and forward momentum which seems to make the more rhythmically rigidly harpsichordists sound positively pedestrian". Christchurch Star NAME: David Charles Vine. ARCM, Mus. B (Hons) NATIONALITY : British/New Zealand [dual nationality] PLACE OF