John Anthony Ritchie (29 September 1921 – 29 September 2014) was a New Zealand composer and professor of music at the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

Biography

Born in

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

in 1921, Ritchie attended the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

, graduating with a Diploma of Music in 1943 and a

MusB A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or music school, conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performa ...

the following year. He also trained as a teacher at Dunedin Teachers' College. Later, between 1956 and 1957, he undertook postgraduate study with

Walter Piston Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist, and professor of music at Harvard University. Life Piston was born in Rockland, Maine at 15 Ocean Street to Walter ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

. He was the father of composer

Anthony Ritchie Anthony Damian Ritchie (born 18 September 1960) is a New Zealand composer and academic. He has been a freelance composer accepting commissions for works and in 2018 he became professor of composition at The University of Otago after 18 years o ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he held the rank of sub-lieutenant in the

Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve The Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNZNVR) is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). History Early history The first Naval Volunteer Force (New Zealand), Volunteer units were formed in Auckland and Nels ...

and served with the

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

as a pilot. Ritchie was appointed a junior lecturer in music at Canterbury University College (now the University of Canterbury) in 1946, and rose to become head of department and professor in 1962. He also served as dean of the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, and was deputy vice-chancellor of the university between 1977 and 1980. He retired in 1985 and was granted the title professor emeritus. A talented clarinetist, Ritchie was, in 1958, the eponymous founder and conductor of the John Ritchie String Orchestra, which developed into the

Christchurch Symphony Orchestra The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is the largest professional orchestra in the South Island of New Zealand, based in the city of Christchurch. It was established in 1958 as the John Ritchie String Orchestra, due to the vision and encoura ...

. As a composer his output included works for choir, instrumental ensemble, brass band and orchestra. He was the director of music for the

1974 British Commonwealth Games The 1974 British Commonwealth Games () were held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. The event was officially named "the friendly games". T ...

in Christchurch and the 1986 visit of Pope John Paul II to New Zealand. In 1981 Ritchie was elected an individual member of the

International Music Council The International Music Council (IMC) was created in 1949 as UNESCO's advisory body on matters of music. The original request of the foundation of the IMC was under the Director of the UNESCO. It is based at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, France, ...

, and in 1992 he was awarded the

Composers Association of New Zealand The Composers Association of New Zealand (CANZ), established in 1974, after an initial meeting of composers was organised by David Farquhar. Farquhar was the association's first president. It is a body that lobbies for the interests of New Zealand ...

Citation for service to New Zealand music. He was an honorary life member of the

International Society for Music Education The International Society for Music Education (ISME) is a professional organization of persons involved with music education. It was founded in Brussels in 1953 during the UNESCO-sponsored conference on "The Role and Place of Music in the Educat ...

, and in 2000 he received an honorary MusD from the University of Canterbury. Ritchie died in Christchurch in 2014 on his 93rd birthday.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, John 1921 births 2014 deaths Musicians from Wellington City University of Otago alumni New Zealand military personnel of World War II Academic staff of the University of Canterbury New Zealand composers New Zealand male composers New Zealand conductors (music) New Zealand male conductors (music) New Zealand clarinetists Dunedin College of Education alumni