The Endless Search for The Next Note: an Outline of A Compos

From a family with little interest in music or culture, from salt of the earth kiwis, a stock agent dad and an unwell mother, Ross Harris emerged, finding a life in music from brass band to klezmer band and many things in between. This is a self-portrait of a composer finding a way…

Hear from one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary composers
The Lilburn Trust in association with the Turnbull Library invites esteemed composer Ross Harris as our notable speaker to deliver the 2022 Lilburn Lecture on New Zealand music.

In his lecture he will look at his career from his early influences, his lecturing at Victoria University under Douglas Lilburn from 1971, to his most recent release Face / Symphony no.6 Last letter (Naxos, 2020).

Lilburn Lecture Series
The annual Lilburn Lectures are a collaboration between the Lilburn Trust and the National Library of New Zealand. This year’s Lilburn Lecture will be the ninth in this series of open public talks.
Refreshments will be served following the Lecture.

RSVP required
Seats are limited so book your seat now by emailing atlcentenary@dia.govt.nz

Safety measures when you come to the event
Find out about what you need to do when you visit the National Library Wellington for the event.

Safety measures in place for visiting the Library
Stay home if you are sick or feel unwell.

About the speaker
Ross Harris is one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary composers, winning many national & international awards for his work. Also a performer, he has played french horn with the NZSO, was a founding member of the group Free Radicals and is a member of the Wellington klezmer group The Kugels. Awarded the QSM in 1985 for his opera Waituhi (libretto by Witi Ihimaera), his compositions now number more than 200, with many of his most recent works being in collaboration with New Zealand poet Vincent O’Sullivan. In 2014 he was awarded an Arts Foundation Laureate.

Check before you come
Due to COVID-19 some of our events can be cancelled or postponed at very short notice. Please check the website for updated information about individual events before you come.