23 Mar 2014
The Hobbit, King Kong, Lord of the Rings, Beyond the Edge. These are just a few of the films on which the next Composer in Residence at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music has been involved.
Composer, musician and producer David Long will be the eleventh Jack C Richards / Creative New Zealand Composer in Residence at NZSM, taking up the position in July 2014.
Long has had a three-decade career initially in rock music and then moving through experimental forms to writing music for moving images. He has worked on all of Peter Jackson’s films of the last decade providing, often in collaboration with the musical collective Plan 9. Most recently his work was heard in the score for Beyond The Edge, a feature documentary on Sir Edmund Hillary’s ascent of Mount Everest.
“I am very much looking forward to the collaborative opportunities that this residency will provide,” Long says. “I have always loved creating music that collaborates with another art form – whether it be for film, television, dance or theatrical performance. It often gives a sense of purpose to my writing and helps put the music out into the world.”
“Given David's creative excellence and his broad professional background we very much look forward to his contribution to the composition programme at NZSM,” says Dr Dugal McKinnon, NZSM’s Programme Leader for Composition and Sonic Arts.
“One of the strengths of this residency is its connection to so many musical organisations in and around Wellington. Not only will David have the opportunity to interact with staff, students and ensembles at NZSM, he will also have the opportunity to work with the wider musical community in Wellington. The plans he is currently developing promise to deliver very engaging musical outcomes.”
Long brings a wealth of experience and expertise from diverse genres of music. As well as his recent work in feature films, he was a founding member of the iconic Kiwi rock band the Mutton Birds, an award-winning album producer for Fur Patrol and Dave Dobbyn, and has composed music for television, and for contemporary dancers Douglas Wright, Shona McCullagh and Raewyn Hill.
The appointment is generously funded by private donor Dr Jack C. Richards and Creative New Zealand, with NZSM acting as host organisation. The role has been created to foster New Zealand musical composition by providing the appointee with the opportunity to compose full-time. The Lilburn Residence Trust has agreed in principle to offer the former home of composer Douglas Lilburn to the Composer in Residence for the year. Jeroen Speak is the current Composer in Residence at NZSM until June 2014.
More information please visit:
David Long
Composer in Residence at NZSM:
NZSM: www.nzsm.ac.nz
For media inquiries:
Stephen Gibbs, Events and Marketing Coordinator at NZSM
P: 027 5577 854
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