Dr Leonie Holmes is a lecturer in Composition and Music Studies at the School of Music, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Stemming from her work as Composer-in-Schools in the 1990s, she is interested in music education and in developing a musical language that will engage and challenge non-professional players. She has written many works for school and community groups and is regularly invited to speak or direct workshops with secondary school students and teachers.
Dr Leonie Holmes is a lecturer in Composition and Music Studies at the School of Music, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Holmes has had a number of arts residencies in New Zealand including: Composer-in-Residence at the Nelson School of Music 1986, Composer-in-Schools 1989, Composer-in-Residence with the Auckland Philharmonia 1997, and Composer-in-Residence with the Manukau Symphony Orchestra in 2005. Notable awards that she has received are: Composers Association of New Zealand Trust Fund for Compositional Development in 1991, a Certificate for Contribution to Music in the Auckland Region from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Friends in 1993, and the Philip Neill Memorial Prize in Composition, University of Otago in 2001.
Holmes has written works for orchestra, chamber, choral, vocal and solo instrument, and receives frequent commissions from both professional and community groups. A particular interest is orchestral music, examples being Aquae Sulis (2012), Frond (2004), Ancient Rhythms (2005) and For Young Nick (2002), all of which have been recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Many compositions for smaller groups are the result of requests and commissions from colleagues, students and friends, including: Is there anybody in there (2010) for bassoonist Ben Hoadley and the New Zealand Music for Woodwind concert series, Through coiled stillness (2011) for the University of Auckland Chamber Choir tour to England in 2011, A Tedious Brief Scene: Bottom‘s Dance (2011) for the awardwinning University of Auckland Emerging Artist chamber group Estrella, The Fourth Station (2008) for solo cello for an exhibition entitled ‘Stations of the Cross’ at the Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand and Fragment (2007) for string quartet for the Jade Quartet.
Stemming from her work as Composer-in-Schools in the 1990s, she is interested in music education and in developing a musical language that will engage and challenge non-professional players. She has written many works for school and community groups and is regularly invited to speak or direct workshops with secondary school students and teachers.
