Biography

Glenda Keam was awarded a PhD in Music by the University of Auckland in 2006 for her thesis “Exploring Notions of National Style: New Zealand Orchestral Music in the Late Twentieth Century”. Earlier awards include an MMus(Hons) in Composition from the University Of Auckland (1986), where she studied composition with John Rimmer and John Elmsly and analysis with Fiona McAlpine.

Glenda has lived much of her life in her home town, Auckland, however she spent the period 1986-94 living in the United Kingdom, where she studied composition with Anthony Gilbert in Manchester, attended various summer workshops and worked as a music educator. She also has a strong history of choral singing with such choirs as the National Youth Choir of NZ, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields and the Britten Singers (formerly BBC Northern Singers), and enjoys performing as a piano improviser at Vitamin S in Auckland. Her compositions have been performed in New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Glenda lectured at the School of Music at the University of Auckland from 1994-2006, teaching music theory, musicianship, composition and contemporary studies. She is now Programme Director of the music programmes at Unitec New Zealand, where she has established a Diploma in Contemporary Music and a bridging Certificate. Her research area is New Zealand music studies, with particular emphasis on analytical and evaluative work, issues of New Zealand cultural identity, and trans-Tasman comparative musicology.

She is closely connected to the New Zealand composing community, having served 6 years as Secretary of CANZ (Composers Association of New Zealand), and is now President of that Association. She also has close connections with MENZA (Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa), represents CANZ on the committee of CCUG (Coalition of Cultural Unions and Guilds), and is a trustee for the Audio Foundation. She devised, curated, and organized the (09)03 Contemporary Music Festival held in Auckland in 2003.

• Publications (6)
• Works (31)