11 May 2015
Creative New Zealand is sad to hear of the passing of composer Jack Body.
Recently he was the recipient of the an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon Award – Whakamana Hiranga. The Icon Awards are limited to 20 living artists at any one time.
Jack Body specialised in cross-cultural composition, both in his own music as well as in his teaching. At Victoria University of Wellington he established a residency for traditional musicians to work collaboratively with composition staff and students. These residencies generated new compositions, recorded for broadcast and CD publication.
As the manager of Victoria University's Gamelan Padhang Moncar, he stimulated the creation of new compositions, which were recorded and broadcast. In 2000, to celebrate 25 years of gamelan in New Zealand, he co-organised BEAT, an International Gamelan Festival with over 100 overseas participants.
Links to tributes
Radio New Zealand - New Zealand composer Jack Body dies
Radio New Zealand - Remembering Jack Body