History of the Composer-in-Residence schemes

The Composer-in-Residence schemes at NZSM were first established in 2004, with the year-long Creative New Zealand/Jack C. Richards Composer-in-Residence at the New Zealand School of Music (now called the CNZ/NZSM Composer-in-Residence). The Lilburn Residence Trust provides accommodation for the successful composer at the former home of Douglas Lilburn in Thorndon.

In recent years, the school has expanded the residency scheme to offer two further residencies, one a 6-month residency in jazz composition and the other—in partnership with Toi Pōneke—a 3-month residency in the field of sonic arts.

These residencies are some of the most substantial and prestigious opportunities for composers and sonic artists in New Zealand. In addition to a full-time salary, they offer a substantial range of professional development opportunities for the successful composers. Residents have come from a diverse range of perspectives and interests, including instrumental composition, taonga puoro composition, jazz composition, sonic arts, experimental composed theatre, opera composition and mechatronics.

In 2019, the NZSM Composer-in-Residence Endowment Fund was created from a seed grant of $100,000, to help generate income to be directly paid to the Composers-in-Residence.

Below is a list of composers who have held the residencies, and the work completed during their time:

2024 Elliot Vaughan (Composer-in-Residence)

Elliot Vaughan is a composer, performer, and artist based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa. His output includes exploratory concert music, composed theatre, pop songs, performance art, and contributions to collaborative projects.

During the term of his appointment, Elliot will be based at the Lilburn Residence in Thorndon, the former home of composer Douglas Lilburn (ONZ) which is administered by the Lilburn Residence Trust. The Trust ensures that the property is used in a manner befitting the legacy of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most important composer of the 20th century.

2024 Andrew Faleatua (Jazz Composer-in-Residence)

Andrew will be based in Wellington during the period of his residency, where he will work closely with members of the Wellington jazz community, as well as staff and students of the NZSM’s Jazz Performance and Composition programmes. He plans to explore the fusion of music of the Pacific Islands with the jazz tradition, including potential new musical collaborations with the Pacific communities of Wellington. In particular, he is interested in how traditional instruments such as fagufagu (Samoan nose flute) and pū (conch shell) could be integrated into a jazz context. He also plans to work with local taonga puoro players to find further points of musical connection.

2023 Briar Prastiti (Composer-in-Residence)

The residency allowed Briar to focus on her creative output and career growth, culminating in the completion of significant works, collaborations, and live performances across various mediums.

Outputs completed during her residency included:

• Prima Facie original soundtrack for play at Circa Theatre
• `Akri ('Ακρη) for orchestra, premiered by Orchestra Wellington
• White Red Black for singer and orchestra, a collaboration with John Psathas
• Pegasus for orchestra, premiered by Bay of Plenty Symphonia
• Persephone Returns operatic pieces premiered at Futuna Chapel
• Twinn Ethyr & Moth Quartet performances and recordings
• Twinn Ethyr debut album
• Kyklos for solo vibraphone

2023 Ben Leonard (Sonic Artist-in-Residence)

The residency provided Ben with significant creative growth opportunities and the development of new artistic relationships. During his 12-week residency, he developed a major new work Breathwork. This 20-minute composition for icosahedral speaker and quadraphonic array loudspeakers explores the acoustic properties of air through spectral fission and spatialisation. Significant technical support from NZSM staff and students helped to realise the work in an exhibition at Toi Pōneke Gallery in 2024.

2023 Umar Zakaria (Jazz Composer-in-Residence)

During his 6-month residency, Umar completed the composition process for a new album ‘Rasaku/One Ocean’, based on findings from a research trip to Singapore. The final recording will feature collaborations with Singaporean percussionist Riduan Zalani, and NZ-based taonga puoro practitioner Jerome Kavanagh. Other outputs completed during the residency included:

• Family Music studio album with Louisa Williamson (tenor saxophone), Elizabeth Hocking (alto saxophone), Ayrton Foote (piano), and Shaun Anderson (drums)
• Collaborative Malay compositions with Riduan Zalani
• Jazz arrangements of songs by Malaysian pop artist Reshma

2022 Cristohper Ramos Flores (Sonic Artist-in-Residence)

During his residency, Cris developed a set of mechatronic instruments based on letterboxes, designed for both exhibition and live performances. They featured mechanical systems that transformed them into percussion instruments and audio systems. Cris created three works combining percussion sounds, recordings of letterboxes, and sounds from around Wellington, presented with interactive videos displayed inside the letterboxes. The residency’s support enabled him to complete a published academic article.

2022 Jerome Kavanagh (Composer-in-Residence)

Taonga puoro composer and artist Jerome Kavanagh moved into the Lilburn House, where he undertook a large suite of projects, including:

• New collaborative ensemble, AO, with Salina Fisher (koto) & Neil MacLeod (live electronics)
• Oro Rua Rangi ki te Whenua for taonga puoro and eight-channel live electronics, co-composition with Assoc. Prof. Michael Norris, invited performance at the 2022 Australasian Computer Music Conference at Victoria University
• We are the River feature-length documentary: Taonga Puoro composer (Netherlands/Norway production)
• Rurangi Rising TV series for HULU (USA) co-composer
• Tohu o te Taiao theatre show: Te Rauparaha arena: performance/composition with Riki Solon & Marcus Winter
• Ria Hall & NZSO: 2 show tour; Guest Taonga Puoro artist
• Album ‘Tangaroa a Roto’

2022 Callum Allardice (Jazz Composer-in-Residence)

Callum was the inaugural 6-month CNZ/NZSM Jazz Composer-in-Residence, creating material for a new album which was recorded in 2023 and released in 2024.

• New album ‘Cinematic Light Orchestra’, featuring big band and strings (7 tracks)
• New album for guitar quartet (7 tracks)

2019–2020 Salina Fisher

Salina returned to Wellington from New York where she had graduated with a Masters in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. She was a resident at Lilburn Residence during New Zealand’s Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown. Work completed during the residency include:

• Mono no aware for cello and piano
• Between, for shakuhachi, koto, viola, and cello
• Kintsugi for piano trio
• Heal for string quartet

2018–2019 Antonia Barnett-McIntosh

Antonia Barnett-McIntosh studied composition at Victoria University of Wellington, receiving a First Class Honours Bachelor of Music with Distinction and a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2006. In 2010, she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with a Master of Music in Composition. She was Composer-in-Residence with Hubbub Group at the Wellcome Collection in London. Her work has been performed in Europe, the UK, Scandinavia, New Zealand, and the United States. During her time at the NZSM, Ms. Barnett-McIntosh developed a number of compositions involving spoken voice and ensemble, using recordings and interviews.

2017–2018 Rob Thorne

Rob Thorne premiered his work Tomokanga for taonga pūoro and string quartet to great acclaim at the 2018 NZ Festival with the NZ String Quartet, and an orchestral arrangement was later workshopped by the NZSM Orchestra. He followed this up with a NZ tour with Berlin-based electronics artist Fis, performing new works. He also collaborated with composers such as Celeste Oram, Alex Taylor, Dugal McKinnon, and Thomas Voyce, and performed in Darmstadt and at the Wellington Matariki ki Pōneke events. In early 2018 he released a new album, Rewa (Rattle Records RAT D083), and is working on another for drums and taonga pūoro with Reece McNaughten/Big Flip The Massive. He also found time to attend WOMEX’17 in Katowice, Poland, and presented a paper at the 2017 NZ Musicological Society Conference. Rob also helped develop a new course in Māori music that he delivered in 2018, gave various guest lectures, led two composers workshops, and collaborated with a number of NZSM students. Rob says of these collaborations that "one of the most powerful elements of the residency comes from positioning me in the active and creative sphere of current and young/future composers hearts and minds".

2016–2017 Alison Isadora

Alison moved from Amsterdam to Wellington to take up the residence. Her husband, Dutch composer Jan-Bas Bollen was able to visit her in the Lilburn Residence for 3 months. Alison's work during her residency included:

• Blessing, in memoriam Jack Body, for mixed choir, premiered by Baroque Voices.
• For John, for Australian cellist, John Addison.
• 54 Events and Their Offspring, for soprano and recorder, premiered by Rowena Simpson and Kamala Bain.
• collaboration with Jan-Bas Bollen on Critical State, a cross-media performance work for midi violin, bass guitar, and real-time image and sound processing. Performed throughout the country.
• Wetonan Cycle, for Cirebon gamelan.
• Songs of Remembering #1, for soprano and violin, premiered by Rowena Simpson and Alison.
• beginning Alt, for string quartet, premiered by Stroma.

2015–2016 John Elmsly

John's residency coincided with the 100th anniversary of Douglas Lilburn's birth. John was featured in TVNZ's programme Neighbourhood about Thorndon, its residents, and history. John’s work during his residency included:

• Three for Four for the Aotea Flute Ensemble
• In October Light for mixed chamber ensemble, premiered by Stroma at a concert marking Lilburn's centenary
• collaborating with Reuben Chin to create One Mouth, Two Voices for soprano and alto saxophones
• rewriting Three for Four into a compact version called Variations on a Prelude: Three for Four to One

2014–2015 David Long

David was the first Composer-in-Residence to be appointed whose strengths were primarily in scoring for film and dance. David’s work during the period of his residency included:

• beginning an 18-minute piece for chamber orchestra, textural guitar, and robotics, in collaboration with NZSM lecturer Dr. Jim Murphy, premiered by Orchestra Wellington.
• completed an album, O Potassium, with the experimental band The Labcoats
• worked towards a show with the choreographer Malia Johnston
• a live performance of music set to poems from The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy, in collaboration with actors Fiona Samuel and Rachel House.
• started work on a feature documentary 25 April, which included the mentoring of three postgraduate students at the NZSM as part of the composition and postproduction process at Park Road Post.

2013–2014 Jeroen Speak

Jeroen moved from London to Wellington with partner Dorothy Ker, a visiting Research Fellow on leave from her position at the University of Sheffield. Jeroen’s work during his residency included:

• revision of Tarantelle for solo cello
• String Quartet 3
• Eratosthenes’ Sieve for ensemble, premiered by Stroma
• Particle Dust for percussion
• Shadow Aspect for solo piano
• Entropy for solo organ, premiered by Jeroen as part of an SMP Ensemble concert

2012–2013 David Downes

David is based in Wellington and has particular interests in computer animation, mechatronics, and other technology-related projects. David’s work during his residency included:

• beginning work on a new string quartet
• beginning work on Confusion of Tongues, an electroacoustic work featuring samples of improvising string players
• Dog Eat Dog for Strike, as part of their stage show Between Zero and One
• Defense Mechanism, for mechatronic drum kit and Disklavier.

2011–2012 Juliet Palmer

Juliet arrived from Toronto, Canada to take up residence with her husband James Rolfe, a leading Canadian composer, and their daughter Miriam. Juliet was the first composer to have a residency with Orchestra Wellington, through a partnership with the New Zealand School of Music. Juliet’s work during her residency included:

• Like an Old Tale, a chamber opera for chorus, ensemble, six vocal soloists, and electroacoustics
• Nails as a Rose for gamelan orchestra
• revision of Shelter, a full-length opera
• beginning a large-scale a capella opera Sweat
• beginning Three Pop Songs 'Solid Gold' for mezzo and orchestra, premiered by Orchestra Wellington and Madeleine Pierard in late 2013

2010–2011 Chris Gendall

Chris returned to Wellington from New York to take up the residency. Chris’s work during his residency included:

• Gravitas for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
• Eigene Gestalt for SMP Ensemble.
• beginning Reckless Abandon for saxophone, violin, and piano

2009–2010 John Rae

John was the first jazz composer to hold the Composer-in-Residence position. Because of his background in jazz, John was able to collaborate with musicians at the New Zealand School of Music. John’s work during his residency included:

• a number of works for jazz ensembles, orchestra, solo piano, string quartet, and string quartet with saxophone
• collaboration with Fariba Hachtroudi, the writer-in-residence at the Randell Cottage

2008–2009 Helen Bowater

Helen returned to her hometown of Wellington from Waiheke Island to take up the Composer-in-Residence position. Helen’s work during her residency included:

• Atsinganos for solo violin, published by Wai-te-ata Music Press
• Nekhbet for solo piano, premiered by Wojciech Wisniewski and published by Wai-te-ata Music Press
• sama-sama for flute, viola, and harp
• A Wild Sea for the Crossing for female singer (mezzo-sop. or sop.) and piano
• The Non-Singing Seats for vln, vla and narrator
• Sun Wu Kong “Monkey” for central Javanese gamelan (incl. frog toys), string quartet, Chinese Sheng,rebeb player, singer
• Cottleston Pie for piano solo

2007–2008 Ross Harris

Ross, based in Wellington, had previously lectured at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Music, and so already knew the staff and students well. Ross’s work during the period of his residency included:

• Trombone Opera for trombone and ensemble, premiered by Stroma
• Symphony III for orchestra, premiered by Auckland Philharmonia
• Variation 25 for string quartet, premiered by the New Zealand String Quartet
• The Floating Bride for soprano and piano premiered at the Adam Chamber Music Festival 2009

2006–2007 Lyell Cresswell

Lyell came from Edinburgh to be take up the position of Composer-in-Residence. Apart from being involved in the Composers' Association of New Zealand hosting of the Asia Pacific Festival and Conference, and SOUNZ’s hosting of the International Association of Music Information Centres' Conference, Lyell’s work during the period of his residency included:

• Alas! How Swift for trumpet and orchestra, premiered by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
• Canterbury Rhymes for mezzo-soprano and orchestra, premiered by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
• Mezzotinto for solo piano, premiered by Stephen De Pledge
• Two Pages for solo viola, premiered by Gillian Ansell
• beginning The Perfect Woman, a short opera premiered by Scottish Opera

2005–2006 Dame Gillian Whitehead

Gillian, normally resident in Dunedin, was the first composer to stay at the Lilburn Residence as part of the Composer-in-Residence scheme. She was the subject of a documentary about her year, entitled Gillian WhiteheadComposer in Residence.Gillian’s work during this period included:

• Hineteiwaiwa, for taonga pūoro, voice and 10 instruments
• Karohirohi, for orchestra and harp for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Carolyn Mills
• a movement for the Davy Passion, a collaborative project with Wellington composers
• beginning Puhake ki te rangi for taonga pūoro and string quartet

2004–2005 James Gardner

James was the first Composer-in-Residence appointed and rented a house out in Paekakariki. He worked closely with a number of postgraduate composers at the newly-formed New Zealand School of Music. James’s work during the period of his residency included:

• Local Economy (2004–2006) 19-division trumpet and percussion. Commissioned and premiered by duo Contour with funding from Creative New Zealand.
• ever not quite for piano and string quartet (dedicated to Jack Body for his 60th birthday)
• Umbra Mortis for 14 voices, premiered by Madeleine Pierard (soprano), Christopher Warwick (countertenor), Tudor Consort
• Beginning a new work for string quartet