NORTHERN REGIONS
Anthony Ritchie
studied composition at The University of Canterbury, and the Liszt Academy in Hungary. He moved to Dunedin in 1988 as Mozart Fellow in composition at Otago University, and later was Composer-in-Residence with the Dunedin Sinfonia completing his Symphony No. 1 “Boum”. In 2000 his Symphony No.2 was premiered at the International Festival of the Arts. In 2004 his opera, The God Boy, was a critically acclaimed success at the Otago Arts Festival. In the last five years he has had 6 CDs of his composition released, including his album NZ Poets in Song and his latest CD, A Bugle Will Do featuring the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He has written many choral works, and Anthony has conducted choirs as well, including The Southern Youth Choir and Southern Childrens Choir. He is now Associate Professor at The University of Otago in Dunedin. For further information:
www.anthonyritchie.co.nz
CENTRAL REGIONS
Tim Noon
received his early music education as a chorister at Hereford Cathedral, England, later learning the organ with Dr Roy Massey. At the age of seventeen he was appointed Organ Scholar of Canterbury Cathedral, and the following year became Organ Scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, reading for a degree in music. In 1993 he gained his F.R.C.O, winning the coveted Limpus prize. On graduating with First Class Honours, Timothy was appointed sub-organist of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. He returned to Canterbury as Assistant Organist in January 1997.
Four years later he moved to Wales to lead the music at St Davids Cathedral, and in 2007 he became Director of Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. As an organist, he is a frequent solo performer, giving concerts in many prestigious venues across Europe. Timothy is also active as a composer and arranger and has been published by the RSCM, Encore, and, most recently, Novello publications.
Whilst directing the 2011 Summer School of the RSCM in New Zealand, he fell in love with the country and, seizing the opportunity of coming to live here, accepted the position of Director of Music at Auckland Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, from September 2011.
SOUTHERN REGIONS
Peter de Blois
Born in Dunedin,
Peter de Blois graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in Performance Voice. He also trained as an organist and held appointments at several of NZ’s cathedrals.
In the early 90s he was a Tenor Lay Clerk in the choir at Ely Cathedral, England. Soon after returning to New Zealand, Peter was appointed Director of Music at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington. A former member of the New Zealand National Youth Choir, Peter also served as its Assistant Conductor.
For the past 10 years, Peter was Director of Music at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. In addition to this he spent eight years as a Music Examiner for the International Examinations Board Trinity Guildhall, travelling all over Asia. In his spare time Peter is an Advisor to the Royal School of Church Music and Chair of the Wellington branch.
Since moving back to Wellington, Peter has been guest conductor of Nota Bene and the Bach Choir. He is a member of the Advisory Committee for the NZ Choral Federation’s Association of Choral Directors. He can be heard from time to time on Radio NZ Concert’s The Critic’s Chair programme and recently recorded a Composer of the Week programme on John Ireland. He has previously been a regional and National Finale adjudicator for The Big Sing.
NATIONAL FINALE
Jonathan Grieves-Smith
(Melbourne) is Artistic Director of Hallelujah Junction, Australia’s first national professional chamber choir, and Chorus Master to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus, BBC Singers, Chorus of Rome’s Academy of St Cecilia, Brighton Festival Chorus, Huddersfield Choral Society and the Hallé Choir, and worked with conductors including Rattle, Gergiev, Levine, Boulez, Maazel and Gardiner in recordings and concerts across Europe.
Peter Watts
Twenty years as Music Director of Auckland Choral gave
Peter Watts (Auckland) the opportunity to work with many of New Zealand’s leading soloists and orchestras. He was also Deputy Music Director of the NZ National Youth Choir for seven years and has worked with many other choirs around the country.
Peter is regularly heard as pianist in concerts with vocalists, and in chamber music. He teaches in the Auckland University School of Music and also examines internationally for Trinity College, London.
In 2005 he was awarded the MNZM for services to Choral Music.
Debra Shearer-Dirié
Dr.
Debra Shearer-Dirié (Brisbane) holds a Diploma from the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary, and a Master of Music Education degree and Doctor of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Indiana University, USA. Dr. Shearer-Dirié is Editor of the Australian National Choral Association’s Publication and serves on their National Council. She has recently been invited to be a reviewer for the International Choral Bulletin (IFCM). Dr. Shearer-Dirié is Musical Director of the Brisbane Concert Choir, Vox Pacifica Chamber Choir, Fusion, and Vintage Voices, a newly formed ensemble by Centacare to enable the elderly community of Brisbane to enrich their lives in singing.
SOUNZ COMPOSITION COMPETITION
Philip Norman, Christchurch
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