...the first public performances of his compositions brought him critical recognition as “the most gifted and fluent” of a new generation of composers.

Biography

Tony Ryan was born in Timaru in 1951 and educated there and at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, graduating with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in 1975. He then attended the College of Education and has spent his working life as a music teacher, firstly at Heretaunga College, Upper Hutt, and since 1979 as Head of Music and Performing Arts at Linwood College (formerly Linwood High School).

Outside of the classroom he has devoted his time to other musical pursuits, both composition and conducting. Conducting engagements have included many operas and shows for the Christchurch companies as well as the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA), the Christchurch Symphony, Court Theatre, Canterbury Opera and others. He has composed many works including fourteen Music Theatre works for schools, scores for professional theatre productions, particularly for Court Theatre (‘Alice!’ 1996, ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, 1988, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, 1990), song cycles, chamber works and, best known, his orchestral pieces such as ‘Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra’ and ‘HAKA!’ (which has received many performances in New Zealand, Australia and the United States). The very successful season of his opera ‘The Musicians of Bremen’ in 1996 remains one of the highlights of his career.

Tony has been writing continuously since his student days where the first public performances of his compositions in 1974 brought him critical recognition as “the most gifted and fluent” of a new generation of composers. He is also currently the chief Christchurch reviewer for Radio New Zealand Concert’s ‘Upbeat’. His compositions are published under his imprint MAESTRO and are available in shops, from the Centre for New Zealand Music (SOUNZ) or directly from him (tony.ursula@paradise.net.nz).

Selected Works

• Works (84)
• Related Resources (2)