The Karlheinz Company (established 1978) is a music ensemble based at the University of Auckland School of Music. The ensemble was founded by composer John Rimmer and the first programme included works by Berio, Stockhausen and Rimmer. A programming philosophy developed of combining new New Zealand music and music from the Asia-Pacific region with the works of established twentieth-century composers and those considered more adventurous in style. Particular attention is given to the performance of works by young composers and those associated with the school of music including in recent years Uwe Grodd, Elizabeth Holowell and Dean Sky-Lucas. The ensemble has been behind the creation of various New Zealand compositions. In 1982, they received funding from Creative New Zealand and commissioned, ''Ritual Auras'', from John Elmsly. Elmsly later joined the staff at the University of Auckland in 1984 and took over direction of the company from Rimmer. Other notable compositions commissioned by the company with assistance from Creative New Zealand have included ''Concerto for Six'' by

David Farquhar David Andross Farquhar (5 April 1928 – 8 May 2007) was a New Zealand composer and professor of music at Victoria University of Wellington. Biography Farquhar was born in Cambridge, New Zealand, in 1928 but spent most of his early years in F ...

, ''Mobiles III'' by John Young, ''Interior'' by

Jack Body John Stanley Body (7 October 1944 – 10 May 2015) was a New Zealand composer, ethnomusicologist, photographer, teacher, and arts producer. As a composer, his work comprised concert music, music theatre, electronic music, music for film and da ...

and ''The Structure of Memory'' by

Dorothy Ker Dorothy Ker (born 1965) is a New Zealand-born composer of instrumental and vocal music who has lived in the UK since 1992. She is known for her inter-disciplinary collaborations and experimentation with live electronic music performances. Early ...

. ''Six Watercolours'' by distinguished New Zealand composer and baritone, David Griffiths was also originally written for the ensemble and was later recorded by the Ogen Trio and

New Zealand Chamber Soloists The New Zealand Chamber Soloists (NZCS) (established 2006), are a New Zealand based chamber music ensemble. The NZCS consists of prominent concerto soloists with national and international careers and extensive chamber music experience. The c ...

along with works by, Gareth Farr, John Psathas and Michael Williams. The Karlheinz Company concerts usually take place at the Music Theatre or, until it closed, the Maidment Theatre in Auckland. Concerts have also been presented at the Asia-Pacific Festival in Wellington, the University of Waikato School of Music and St Paul's Collegiate. Concert FM have recorded and broadcast the ensemble on numerous occasions.

References

External links

SouNZ:Centre for New Zealand Music
New Zealand classical music groups Musical groups established in 1978 {{NewZealand-band-stub