Kenneth Young (born 11 November 1955,

Invercargill Invercargill ( , ) is the southernmost and westernmost list of cities in New Zealand, city in New Zealand, and one of the Southernmost settlements, southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland Region, Southlan ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

) is a composer, conductor, radio presenter and lecturer in composition, conducting and

orchestration Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orch ...

at the

New Zealand School of Music The New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī (NZSM) at Victoria University of Wellington is located in Wellington, New Zealand. It provides a tertiary teaching faculty with programmes in classical and jazz performance, music studies, composition, ...

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

and

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington (), also known by its shorter names "VUW" or "Vic", is a public university, public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and w ...

. As a composer, Young has had works commissioned by New Zealand and Australian orchestras and arts organisations including the

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Wellington, New Zealand. The national orchestra of New Zealand, the NZSO is an autonomous Crown entity owned by the New Zealand Government, per the New Zealand Symphony ...

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra The Auckland Philharmonia (formerly Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, APO) is a symphony orchestra based in Auckland, New Zealand. Its principal concert venue is the Auckland Town Hall, and it is also the accompanying ensemble for Auckland stage ...

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is the smallest of the six orchestras established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). History The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestr ...

''New Zealand International Arts Festival'' and ''Chamber Music New Zealand''. He works as a freelance composer and is fully represented by ''SOUNZ: The Centre for New Zealand Music''. In 1976, Young became the principal tuba for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and first conducted the orchestra in 1985 becoming ''Conductor in Residence'' in 1993. In 2001, he resigned from the orchestra to become a full-time conductor, composer and recording artist for orchestras in New Zealand and Australia, as well as engagements in Japan and the United Kingdom. He is well known for his interpretation of Romantic, 20th Century, New Zealand and Australian orchestral repertoire and in 2012 conducted both the winning album, ''Angel at Ahipara'' and finalist album, ''Releasing the Angel'', for ''Best Classical Album'' at the

New Zealand Music Awards The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously called the New Zealand Music Awards), conferred annually by Recorded Music NZ, honour outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording industry. The awards are among the most significant that ...

. Young has been recorded by

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

, Atoll Records, Continuum, Trust Records,

ABC Classics ABC Music is Australia's largest independent record label. It operates under the ABC Commercial division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It covers a wide range of music genres, including classical, children’s and adult conte ...

and

Naxos Naxos (; , ) is a Greek island belonging to the Cyclades island group. It is the largest island in the group. It was an important centre during the Bronze Age Cycladic Culture and in the Ancient Greek Archaic Period. The island is famous as ...

and is a frequent presenter on ''RESOUND'',

Radio New Zealand Concert RNZ Concert () is a publicly funded non-commercial New Zealand FM fine music radio network. Radio New Zealand owns the network and operates it from its Wellington headquarters. The network's playlist of classical, jazz, contemporary, and worl ...

introducing and contextualising work from the RNZ archives. In 2004 was awarded the ''Lilburn Trust Citation'' in Recognition of Outstanding Services to

New Zealand Music The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including ...

Biography

Young was born in

in 1955 and completed his schooling in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

Cashmere High School Cashmere High School () is a state coeducational secondary school, located in southern Christchurch, New Zealand. It was opened in 1956 in response to population growth in southern Christchurch during the 1950s. The school is located in the su ...

. He was involved in brass band music, but his music teacher, Frank Dennis, encouraged him to compose, conduct and study music seriously, beyond the brass band movement. Young studied composition 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 ...

and the

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

. During this time he played percussion and tuba for 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 ...

and the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra. In 1976 Young was appointed Principal Tuba of the

and conducted the orchestra for the first time in 1985. In 1988, he became a member of the faculty of the

, today a joint department of the

and

where he lectures in conducting and orchestration. In 1991 Young was appointed as the Composer in Residence at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and in 2001 he resigned from post of Principal Tuba to work full-time as a conductor and composer. In 2004 Young was awarded the ''Lilburn Trust Citation'' in Recognition of Outstanding Services to New Zealand Music.

Activities

Composing

Kenneth Young is officially recognised as one of New Zealand's leading composers and has won awards from the ''Composer's Association of New Zealand'', SOUNZ Contemporary Awards, Radio NZ Concert and Trans-Tasman conductor exchange. He is regularly commissioned by ensembles in New Zealand and Australia including the NZSO, Chamber Music New Zealand, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, BBANZ, the International Festival of the Arts, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington and Radio New Zealand. His compositions have been performed and broadcast in New Zealand, the United States, Europe and Australia. Recent premiers include his ‘Portrait’ for Solo Violin and Orchestra with the NZSO and his Lux Aeterna with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, both to wide critical acclaim. Young has forty-eight commissioned works registered and represented through the Centre for New Zealand Music and twenty-two recordings.

Conducting

Kenneth Young works regularly as a conductor throughout New Zealand and Australia. In New Zealand he works with the

, New Zealand Chamber Orchestra and all regional orchestras including the

and

Orchestra Wellington Orchestra Wellington is New Zealand's oldest professional regional orchestra, based in the capital city of Wellington. It hosts an annual subscription series of concerts in the Michael Fowler Centre, performing varied repertoire from the Classi ...

. In his capacity as conductor, he has recorded with

, Atoll Records, Continuum, Trust Records,

and

with Best Classical Album releases in 2002 and 2012. He is widely regarded for his interpretation and recordings of New Zealand composers. These include

Douglas Lilburn Douglas Gordon Lilburn (2 November 19156 June 2001) was a New Zealand composer. Early life Lilburn was born in Whanganui and spent his early years on the family sheep farm in the upper Turakina River valley at Drysdale. He attended Waitaki ...

, Edwin Carr,

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 ...

, Lyell Cresswell,

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 ...

Gareth Farr Gareth Vincent Farr (born 29 February 1968) is a New Zealand composer and percussionist. He has released a number of classical CDs and composed a number of works performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) and Royal New Zealand Ball ...

Christopher Blake Christopher Blake (born Peter Ronald Gray, 23 August 1949 – 11 December 2004) was an English actor and screenwriter. He is perhaps best remembered for starring in the British sitcoms '' Mixed Blessings'' (1978–80) and '' That's My Boy'' ( ...

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 d ...

and many others. He also regularly conducts seasons with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Co. and the Australian Ballet. In Australia Young conducts the

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008. The MSO relies on fun ...

Queensland Symphony Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the ...

, the

West Australian Symphony Orchestra The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Perth, Western Australia. Its principal concert venue is the Perth Concert Hall. WASO also gives concerts at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. , WASO ...

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is a South Australian orchestra based in Adelaide, established in 1936. The orchestra's primary performance venue is the Adelaide Town Hall, but the ASO also performs in other venues. It provides the orchest ...

and

Orchestra Victoria Orchestra Victoria is a full-time salaried orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia, and wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Ballet. Founded in 1969, the orchestra is now a principal performance partner for the Australian Ballet, Opera Austra ...

. Engagement further afield include the City of Osaka Sinfonia, and the

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional rad ...

Teaching

Young was a faculty member at the

— Te Kōkī,

, from 1988 until his retirement in 2019. He lectured in conducting, orchestration and composition. In 2011, he was also appointed at the

's composer mentor, for their "Composer in Residence" programme.

Discography

Composer Discography

The following are selected recordings featuring Kenneth Young as composer. * Waiteata Collection of New Zealand Music Vol. 13 – NZ Piano Music for 4 Hands

Wai-te-ata Music Press Wai-te-ata Music Press is a centre of Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music, that publishes New Zealand sheet music, CDs and other music-related publications. Based at Victoria University of Wellington, the press was established by Douglas Lilbu ...

WTA013 (2012) * GUNG-HO – Virtuoso Works for Trombone David Bremner: Atoll Records ACD109, (2009), Winner of Best Classical Album,

, 2009 * Matthew Marshall – Still Life with Guitar: Mr M Productions 2009 * New Zealand Chamber Brass – New Zealand Works for Brass Quintet Members of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and

* Song of the Black Swan – music for violin and harp Atoll Records, ACD199, Dawn Harms and Carolyn Mills (1999) * Waiteata Collection of New Zealand Music Vol. 13 – NZ Piano Music for 4 Hands

WTA013 (2012) * Woolston Brass: Millennium:CDWB 3896340/01 Woolston Brass (1998)

Conductor Discography

The following are selected recordings featuring Kenneth Young as conductor. *

: Angel at Ahipara: Atoll Records ACD441,

Strings (2012), ''Winner, Best Classical Album,

, 2012'' *

Eve de Castro-Robinson Eve de Castro-Robinson (born 9 November 1956 in London, England) is a New Zealand composer, professor and graphic designer. Her compositions include orchestral, vocal, chamber and electroacoustic works. She studied at the University of Auckland ...

: Releasing the Angel: Atoll Records ACD141, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra,(2011), ''Finalist, Best Classical Album, New Zealand Music Awards 2012'' * Gareth Farr: From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs: Trust Records MMT2021D (2009) *

: Ruaumoko: Trust Records MMT2042, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra *

Gary Daverne Gary Michiel Daverne (born 1939) is a New Zealand musical arranger, composer, conductor, director and producer. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. He held the position of Music Director/Conductor of the Auck ...

: Orchestral Music: Viscount Recordings VRCD 0841 * Gary Daverne: Youth of Auckland:

557 9052 * Island Song: Trust Records MMT2044, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (2010) * Jack Body: Pulse Winner of the 2002 Best Classical Album, New Zealand Music Awards * Landscapes: New Zealand Orchestral Music: Trust Records MMT2037, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra * New Zealand Composers: Continuum CCD 1073-2 , New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (1995) * Parihaka: Trust Records MMT2033, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (2000) * Passing – Asia Pacific Festival 2007: Atoll Records and

Move Records Move Records is an Australian record label that was started in 1968 by Martin Wright. It focuses primarily on classical and jazz music, particularly Australian, and features most frequently Melbourne-based musicians and composers. Artists C ...

MD 3327, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra(2009) * Philip Norman: Peter Pan: Royal New Zealand Ballet , Orchestra Wellington (1999) * Waiteata Collection of New Zealand Music Vol. 4 – Composer Portrait: Ross Harris:

CD WTA004 (1987) * Waiteata Collection of New Zealand Music Vol. 6 – Composer Portrait: Jack Body:

CDWTA006 (2003) * Classic Collection: NZSO in association with SKC

Selected works

''A complete list of works can be found a
SouNZ Centre for New Zealand Music
' * Dance for orchestra * Five Pieces for Solo Piano * Four Questions, No Answers for mixed chamber septet * Lux Aeterna for full orchestra * Piano Concerto for piano and orchestra * Portrait for solo violin and small orchestra * Remembering for violin and orchestra * Symphony No. 2 for orchestra * Virgen de la esperanza for orchestra

Awards

* CANZ Trust Fund Award (1990) * SOUNZ Contemporary Award Finalist (2005) for ''Symphony No 2'' * Trans-Tasman Composer Exchange (2007) (composer) * New Zealand Music Awards: Best Classical Album (2012) Winner: ''Angel at Ahipara'' (conductor) * New Zealand Music Awards: Best Classical Album (2012) Finalist: "Releasing the Angel" (conductor) * SOUNZ Contemporary Award Finalist (2012) for ''Four Questions, No Answers'' for chamber ensemble and soprano (composer) * NZSO-SOUNZ-RNZC Recordings Award (2012) (composer) *

Mozart Fellowship The Mozart Fellowship is a composer residency attached to the Music Department of the University of Otago, one of the five Arts Fellowships at the university. It is the oldest full-time composition residency in New Zealand, and is currently the on ...

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 ...

(2020-21) * Lilburn Trust Citation in Recognition of Outstanding Services to New Zealand Music

References

External links

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Koru Artists New Zealand

Creative New Zealand

SOUNZ Center for New Zealand Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Kenneth 1955 births Living people New Zealand composers New Zealand male composers New Zealand classical musicians New Zealand male conductors (music) 20th-century conductors (music) 21st-century New Zealand conductors (music) People from Invercargill 20th-century male composers 21st-century New Zealand male musicians