PRESS RELEASE:
2005 SOUNZ CONTEMPORARY AWARD WINNER:
ROSS HARRIS
Opening a new world of tuba sound!
Composer Ross Harris was congratulated for opening up ‘a whole new world of tuba sound!’ when he was announced as the
winner of the 2005 SOUNZ Contemporary Award for his Labyrinth, for tuba and orchestra.
The award and trophy were announced and presented by Arts Minister, the Rt. Hon. Helen Clark at the APRA Awards held in
Auckland Monday 12th October. In what has become a much anticipated tradition the audience were treated to renditions of
the award winners by other bands and groups. Ross' work for tuba and NZSO was accordingly re-presented by The Brassouls
- an Auckland brass and jazz ensemble.
Labyrinth was the first of twelve works commissioned by the NZSO pairing a New Zealand composer with one of their
principal players. It was premiered by the orchestra in October 2004 with tuba principal Andrew Jarvis as soloist.
“Members of the selection jury were particularly impressed with the piece’s ‘unrelenting energy and ongoing momentum, as
if controlling a volcano’,” reports Scilla Askew, executive director of SOUNZ, the Centre for New Zealand Music. “They
felt that Ross had pulled off an amazing feat in overcome the difficulties in balancing the solo and orchestral brass
energies.”
Ross has had a strong connection to the SOUNZ Contemporary Awards over their eight year history. He previously won the
award in 2000 for his piece To the Memory of I.S. Totska for soprano and chamber ensemble. He was also a finalist in
2004 and given a special commendation in 2003.
The other finalists this year were Gu Ta by Jeroen Speak, for percussion, and Kenneth Young’s Symphony No. 2, also
commissioned by the NZSO.
The annual SOUNZ Contemporary Award is the major prize celebrating creative excellence by a New Zealand composer. It is
a collaborative project between APRA, the Australasian Performing Right Association, and SOUNZ, the Centre for New
Zealand Music.
Four other awards were presented. They were:
2005 APRA Silver Scroll Award (for best popular song) presented to Dann, Jon and Peter Hume from Evermore for It's Too
Late . Pitch Black performed an electronic version of their song during the night.
2005 APRA Maioha Award presented to Anituatua Black and Whirimako Black for Tini Whetu . Kathy Phillips and the Kevin
Field Trio performed an intimate jazz setting of the waiata.
2005 Most Performed Work in New Zealand - Tim and Neil Finn Won't Give In .
2005 Most Performed Work Overseas - Neil Finn Don't Dream it's Over . Guests were treated to a performance of this song
by Adeaze and Nesian Mystik.
ENDS
A DOWNLOADABLE PDF
of this press release and information about the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, including previous finalists and winners, is
available from: http://www.sounz.org.nz/projects-Contemp.php
FURTHER BACKGROUND & EXPANDED DETAILS:
“Members of the selection jury were particularly impressed with the piece’s ‘unrelenting energy and ongoing momentum, as
if controlling a volcano’,” reports Scilla Askew, executive director of SOUNZ, the Centre for New Zealand Music. “They
felt that Ross had pulled off an amazing feat in overcome the difficulties in balancing the solo and orchestral brass
energies. The tuba is not a traditional solo instrument, but they thought he made it sing in uncompromising musical
language and opened up a whole new world of tuba sound!”
Labyrinth is the first of twelve works commissioned by the NZSO pairing a New Zealand composer with a principal player
as soloists. Ross was particularly impressed by the brilliant playing of principal tuba player Andrew Jarvis and was
keen to write a work specifically for him. The idea of a labyrinth came from several sources. “The tuba itself is a
labyrinthine tangle of tubes and our inner ears contain bony labyrinths,” Ross comments in his programme notes to the
work. “In this piece the term also describes the many pathways scattered through the work. The tuba finds itself caught
in a dense web of possibilities, perhaps of its own making, and must struggle to find a resolution.”
Ross has had a strong connection to the SOUNZ Contemporary Awards over their eight year history, an indication of his
accomplishment as an innovative and versatile composer. He previously won the award in 2000 for his piece To the Memory
of I.S. Totska for soprano and chamber ensemble. I.S. Totzka died in Ravensbrüch concentration camp during World War II
and Ross took the text for the work from subtitles of the BBC series The Nazis - a lesson in history.
He was also a finalist in 2004 with At the Edge of Silence for chamber quintet and in 2003, Chaconne, his work for solo
viola, was given a special commendation by the SOUNZ Contemporary Award jury.
Wellington composer Ross Harris is currently the 2005 / 2006 composer-in-Residence for the Auckland Philharmonia who
premiered his Symphony on August 25 this year. They will also play Roimata, a creative collaboration between Ross and
Mahinarangi Tocker in their September 26, 27 PhilharMania concerts. This is the story of a girl who uses the world of
fantasy and her love of the night time to cope with the 'real world' that she lives in. Mahinarangi has written the text
and will sing/narrate the work accompanied by the Auckland Philharmonia.
An Ensemble Philharmonia group will premiere Jazz Suite for Wind Quintet at lunchtime concerts in October. Ross has also
been mentor for the extensive range of composition workshops that the AP has offered to student and graduate composers
this year.
The NZSO included Ross’ poignant Music for Jonny in the programme they took to England, Europe and Japan in August as
well as their 2005 Mainland Tour. South Islanders still have the opportunity to hear this work as the NZSO continue
their Mainland Tour through six centres between October 10-15.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:
Ross Harris
Ross Harris was born in the small town of Amberley in North Canterbury in 1945. He was educated in Christchurch and
attended University of Canterbury before moving to Victoria University of Wellington to complete his education. In the
1960s he played tuba and french horn in the National Youth Orchestra and went on to play french horn in the NZSO. More
recently he has played jazz saxophone and now concentrates on jazz trumpet and accordion.
Ross was appointed a Lecturer in Music at Victoria University in 1971. After teaching at Victoria University for 30
years Ross Harris has now moved into a career as a freelance composer.
Ross Harris has written over 100 works including operas, songs, chamber music, electronic music, symphonic music and
jazz. In 1985 he was awarded a QSM for Public Service following the premiere of his opera Waituhi with libretto by Witi
Ihimaera. In 1990 he was awarded the CANZ Citation for Services to New Zealand Music.
LINKS TO FURTHER COMPOSER BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Ross Harris
http://www.sounz.org.nz/composer.php?
search_for=works_by=com.composer_id_text=
H055_type=match_works=true
ABOUT SOUNZ, THE CENTRE FOR NEW ZEALAND MUSIC
Vision Statement
SOUNZ: created in New Zealand, heard around the world!
Toi Te Arapuoru – tipua i Aotearoa, rangona e te ao!
Statement of Purpose
To provide, foster and promote music by New Zealand composers to enhance the mana of all New Zealanders and our sense of
turangawaewae.
This is achieved through services and projects which:
- encourage the creation, performance, publication, recording and broadcast of music by New Zealand
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for loan, perusal and purchase
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The Centre is a not-for-profit organisation which is registered as a charitable trust.
SOUNZ maintains an on-line searchable database of composers and their works [www.sounz.org.nz]. The Centre offers retail
and information services and a library representing the largest accessible collection of music by New Zealand composers
in the world.
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PPNZ [Phonographic Performances NZ Ltd.]
The Centre is a member of the International Association of Music Information Centres (IAMIC) which is a member of the
International Music Council under the umbrella of UNESCO.
ABOUT THE SOUNZ CONTEMPORARY AWARD
Vision Statement
The SOUNZ Contemporary Award is a collaborative project between APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) and
SOUNZ (the Centre for New Zealand Music) that aims to reward the creative achievements of NZ composers. SOUNZ
administers the award, collating submissions and convening a jury of music professionals (players, conductors,
composers, artistic directors) who choose the finalists and winners. The award is given to a work premiered during the
previous year which displays excellence and innovation. The award has been presented annually at the APRA Silver Scrolls
Awards Ceremony since 1998.
A LIST OF PREVIOUS SOUNZ CONTEMPORARY AWARD WINNERS:
is available from: http://www.sounz.org.nz/projects-Contemp.php