Kenneth Young - String Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra Director
Kenneth Young is one of New Zealand’s most well-known conductors and composers with a professional career which has expanded over the past 40 years.
In 1976 he was appointed Principal Tuba of the NZSO, and the NZSO’s Conductor-in-Residence in 1991. He resigned his tuba position in 2001 to concentrate on a free-lance career.
Young regularly conducts the NZSO, APO and the other regional orchestras throughout New Zealand. His engagements with the NZSO and the New Zealand Chamber Orchestra have also included highly acclaimed CD recordings of the orchestral works of Douglas Lilburn, Edwin Carr, David Farquhar, Lyell Cresswell, Anthony Ritchie, Gareth Farr, Christopher Blake, Jack Body and many others.
Outside New Zealand, Young has worked with many major Australian orchestras, the City of Osaka Sinfonia, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has particularly enjoyed the many opportunities to perform Australian and New Zealand repertoire together in concert on both sides of the Tasman. He also works with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Australian Ballet and the West Australian Ballet.
He has also led many music schools, including Bay of Plenty Music School and the APO Summer School, where he was notable for the attention that he devoted to communicating the ideas of the music and its historical context to the participants.
Since 1988 he has been a member of the music faculty at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University, Wellington where he lectures in conducting and composition. In 2004 Young was awarded the Lilburn Trust Citation in Recognition of Outstanding Services to New Zealand Music.
In 1976 he was appointed Principal Tuba of the NZSO, and the NZSO’s Conductor-in-Residence in 1991. He resigned his tuba position in 2001 to concentrate on a free-lance career.
Young regularly conducts the NZSO, APO and the other regional orchestras throughout New Zealand. His engagements with the NZSO and the New Zealand Chamber Orchestra have also included highly acclaimed CD recordings of the orchestral works of Douglas Lilburn, Edwin Carr, David Farquhar, Lyell Cresswell, Anthony Ritchie, Gareth Farr, Christopher Blake, Jack Body and many others.
Outside New Zealand, Young has worked with many major Australian orchestras, the City of Osaka Sinfonia, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has particularly enjoyed the many opportunities to perform Australian and New Zealand repertoire together in concert on both sides of the Tasman. He also works with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Australian Ballet and the West Australian Ballet.
He has also led many music schools, including Bay of Plenty Music School and the APO Summer School, where he was notable for the attention that he devoted to communicating the ideas of the music and its historical context to the participants.
Since 1988 he has been a member of the music faculty at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University, Wellington where he lectures in conducting and composition. In 2004 Young was awarded the Lilburn Trust Citation in Recognition of Outstanding Services to New Zealand Music.
Kathleen Mulligan - Wind Orchestra (Symphonic Band) Director
Kathleen has been involved with concert bands since her early years as a flute player in primary school. She earned her Bachelor of Music as a flute player and conductor, then studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts with a wind quintet. Next came a degree in teaching and then came her life in NZ.
Since 1989, Kathleen has developed outstanding concert bands and orchestras at the schools she’s worked in (Taumarunui High School, Kelston Girls High School, St Cuthbert’s College). She has also been musical director of numerous shows, both in schools and community. Her proudest achievement was 12 years directing Manukau Concert Band, taking it to the highest standard of community ensembles in NZ, earning consistent Gold awards and special awards at the national NZCBA Festival.
As a player, Kathleen worked with a wind trio and is now playing in shows in Whangarei. She has found herself residing in Northland at Matapouri Bay, teaching first aid with her husband, and itinerant music (flute and clarinet and sax) at Tauraroa Area School which is on its way to having a marvellous little concert band.
Kathleen is Secretary of New Zealand Concert Bands Association and was honoured with a Lifetime Membership this year for her contribution.
Since 1989, Kathleen has developed outstanding concert bands and orchestras at the schools she’s worked in (Taumarunui High School, Kelston Girls High School, St Cuthbert’s College). She has also been musical director of numerous shows, both in schools and community. Her proudest achievement was 12 years directing Manukau Concert Band, taking it to the highest standard of community ensembles in NZ, earning consistent Gold awards and special awards at the national NZCBA Festival.
As a player, Kathleen worked with a wind trio and is now playing in shows in Whangarei. She has found herself residing in Northland at Matapouri Bay, teaching first aid with her husband, and itinerant music (flute and clarinet and sax) at Tauraroa Area School which is on its way to having a marvellous little concert band.
Kathleen is Secretary of New Zealand Concert Bands Association and was honoured with a Lifetime Membership this year for her contribution.
Rowan Johnston - Choir Director
Rowan grew up in New Plymouth, attending Francis Douglas Memorial College. He studied
performance voice and composition at Victoria University and Diploma of Teaching at Wellington College of Education. Rowan was HoD Music at New Plymouth Girls High School in the late 1990's before moving to Auckland in 2002 where he was Director of Music at Westlake Girls High School till 2016. During his time in New Plymouth, he founded the Taranaki Youth Choir. Rowan is now a freelance conductor, adjudicator and choral clinician based in Auckland.
In 2005, Rowan founded the internationally acclaimed Choralation Choir from Westlake Girls & Boys High Schools. Under his direction, Choralation has won the coveted Platinum Award at the NZCF Big Sing National Finale seven times in eight years, including 2017, making Choralation the most successful choir in the history of the competition. In 2014, They were awarded 1st Place at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna where they performed in the Musikverein. In the same year, Rowan conducted members of the NZ Youth Choir for the Rolling Stones only New
Zealand concert at Mt Smart Stadium.
In 2017, Rowan took up the directorship of the St Cuthbert's College premier choir, Saints Alive. This choir gained a Gold award in the 2017 NZCF Big Sing National Finale. He is regularly invited to be a guest conductor at the Australian National Choral School and is a Choral Advisor for the NZCF. Rowan sings with Voices NZ Chamber Choir and the Auckland Chamber Choir.
Last year, he led Choralation on a tour of northern Italy which included singing at the Vatican a specially commissioned mass by NZ composer David Hamilton, and prize-winning recitals at the 2nd Leonardo da Vinci International Choral Festival in Florence. Just recently Rowan was capped for his Master of Music with First Class Honours in Performance (conducting) for which he studied under Dr Karen Grylls.
performance voice and composition at Victoria University and Diploma of Teaching at Wellington College of Education. Rowan was HoD Music at New Plymouth Girls High School in the late 1990's before moving to Auckland in 2002 where he was Director of Music at Westlake Girls High School till 2016. During his time in New Plymouth, he founded the Taranaki Youth Choir. Rowan is now a freelance conductor, adjudicator and choral clinician based in Auckland.
In 2005, Rowan founded the internationally acclaimed Choralation Choir from Westlake Girls & Boys High Schools. Under his direction, Choralation has won the coveted Platinum Award at the NZCF Big Sing National Finale seven times in eight years, including 2017, making Choralation the most successful choir in the history of the competition. In 2014, They were awarded 1st Place at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna where they performed in the Musikverein. In the same year, Rowan conducted members of the NZ Youth Choir for the Rolling Stones only New
Zealand concert at Mt Smart Stadium.
In 2017, Rowan took up the directorship of the St Cuthbert's College premier choir, Saints Alive. This choir gained a Gold award in the 2017 NZCF Big Sing National Finale. He is regularly invited to be a guest conductor at the Australian National Choral School and is a Choral Advisor for the NZCF. Rowan sings with Voices NZ Chamber Choir and the Auckland Chamber Choir.
Last year, he led Choralation on a tour of northern Italy which included singing at the Vatican a specially commissioned mass by NZ composer David Hamilton, and prize-winning recitals at the 2nd Leonardo da Vinci International Choral Festival in Florence. Just recently Rowan was capped for his Master of Music with First Class Honours in Performance (conducting) for which he studied under Dr Karen Grylls.