Tabea Squire: NZSO-NYO CinR!

Wellington composer Tabea Squire has been named the winner of the 4th NZSO National Youth Orchestra Composer-in-Residence Award 2008. The award was granted to Tabea for her work Feverdream.

NZSO-NYO C in R: Tabea Squire

Tabea, currently studying at the New Zealand School of Music, has been a violinist with the NYO since 2005 so will now be unable to play in this year’s season. However, on hearing of the award she said, "The conflict of emotions is surprisingly strong, but above all I'm overjoyed and honoured that the piece I worked on so hard and long has been acknowledged by such a prestigious panel. It is fantastic!"

In addition to having the winning work performed at each of the four NYO concerts, Tabea will receive guidance from 2008 NZSO NYO conductor Jacques Lacombe and mentor Ross Harris. The composer prize also includes Sibelius music writing software, version V5, with free training from MusiTech Ltd as well as a subscription to CANZ.

Tabea will be in Wellington when the NYO meets in August to participate in rehearsals of Feverdream and will attend the public concert performances in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Napier. She was selected from more than a dozen promising applicants, ranging in age from 17 to 24, from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North and Wellington. The project was conceived four years ago and previous Composers in Residence have been Robin Toan, Claire Cowan and Karlo Margetic. 

Pascale Parenteau, manager of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra said: "It is gratifying to see the standard of entry increasing each year. Tabea's work will certainly be a highlight of this year's concerts."

Principal co-sponsors of the NZSO NYO Composer-in-Residence Award 2008 are MusiTech Ltd (NZ) and Sibelius (UK), supported by APRA, Radio New Zealand Concert, CANZ and SOUNZ.