Leonie Joyce Holmes (born 1962) is a New Zealand composer and lecturer at the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

with an interest in music education.

Early life and education

Holmes was born in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

in 1962. She began learning piano at age six and attended

Pakuranga College Pakuranga College is a co-educational secondary school in east Auckland, New Zealand. The college is named after the suburb it is located in, Pakuranga. The school emblem is the pegasus and the motto "Caelum Certe Patet". The current principal ...

. She studied at the

from 1981–1985, graduating with MMus in composition. Her teachers were Douglas Mews, John Rimmer and John Elmsly. She played the violin in the Auckland Youth Orchestra.

Career

In 1983–1985 Holmes attended the Nelson Young Composers' Workshops and was its first composer-in-residence in 1986. In 1989 she took up a position of Composer-in-Schools working in several Auckland schools. She has been Composer-in-Residence with the

Auckland Philharmonia The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) is a symphony orchestra based in Auckland, New Zealand. Its principal concert venue is the Auckland Town Hall. The APO is the accompanying ensemble for performances by NZ Opera and the Royal New Zealan ...

in 1997 and with the Manukau Symphony Orchestra in 2005. In 2001 she received the

Philip Neill Memorial Prize The Philip Neill Memorial Prize is an annual prize administered by the University of Otago for excellence in original composition. The award is open to all past and present students of a university in New Zealand, except previous winners who are ex ...

in Composition from the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

. Holmes has an interest in music education and has written for schools and community groups. She writes for orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, solo voice and instruments, and her works have been performed internationally. Holmes has written a number of works on commission. Her work ''For Just a Little Moment'' was commissioned by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and premiered by the orchestra during a Covid-19 lockdown in November 2020. As at 2021 she is a senior lecturer in composition at the University of Auckland.

Selected works

* ''Nonette for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and string quartet'' (1984) * ''Fantasia II for piano'' (1986) * ''Four epigrams: for mandolin ensemble'' (1987) * ''Recitative II for viola and percussion'' (1991) * ''The estuary: for SSA choir and piano'' (1993) – words: A.R.D. Fairburn * ''Colloquium: two flutes and guitar'' (1993) * ''Seconds: for string orchestra'' (1994) * ''Three songs for baritone and piano'' (1997) * ''Chorale for brass sextet'' (1997) * ''Silver whispers: choral suite in five movements'' (2004) – words: Marnie Barrell * ''Tango mangle: for orchestra'' (2007) * ''The fourth station: for solo cello'' (2008) * ''Fanfare for Manukau: for orchestra'' (2008) * ''Through coiled stillness'' (2011) – text: Leonie Holmes and Robert Wiremu * ''Nocturne for solo piano'' (2011) * ''A tedious brief scene, Bottom's dance'' (2011) * ''Solstice'' (2013) * ''Land pictures: for women's voices and harp'' (2015) – words: Anne Powell * ''Where the tui sings three notes'' (2015) – text: Tessa Stephens * ''Whim: for orchestra'' (2015) * ''Ritual: for wind quintet'' (2016) * ''Fragment II: for string quartet'' (2016) * ''Dance of the Wintersmith: for violin and piano'' (2017) * ''Murmuration: for three violins'' (2019) *''For Just a Little Moment'' (2020)

References

External links

Photographs of Leonie Holmes, 2011, held by Alexander Turnbull Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Leonie 1962 births Living people New Zealand classical composers New Zealand women classical composers New Zealand music educators New Zealand women music educators University of Auckland alumni Academic staff of the University of Auckland 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers