SIR WILLIAM SOUTHGATE

Internationally accredited by Elisabeth Furtwangler, Humphrey Burton and others as a masterly interpreter of the Classic/Romantic Symphonic repertoire in the great Wand to Furtwangler/German tradition Sir William Southgate is a musician that is rare in our time. "Sir William Southgate's performances of established Classics rocks complacency and makes you think anew". Sir William, who in 2003 received a Wellington Music Award for Services to Music, was recognised for the international accreditation of his "revelatory interpretations of Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms" with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Critical acclamation received in current seasons continues to recognise his work as a "Visionary Brahms interpreter"; a masterly Beethoven interpreter who " captures the spirituality of these epic works"; his Mahler 4 stands as "a classic landmark for an orchestra with no Mahler tradition"; and his Shostakovitch 5 as "a mighty interpretation commanding the evening". True to this tradition, he is both a consummate performing musician and a composer with a significant opus including three symphonies to his credit. His musical language, firmly based in the Austro/German Symphonic world, is credited with, "extending symphonic boundaries, renovating tradition with compelling vitality and excitement, fine old master crafting, irrepressible invention" and relating to such performing composers as Mahler, Bartok and Shostakovitch.

He is the first New Zealand based artist to be honoured with a Knight Bachelor, the Queen's New Zealand medal, an Honorary Doctorate of Music [Otago University], and the Composers' Association's Kirk-Burnand and Brown Citation. He graduated from Otago University with first class honours in both M.A. and B.Mus and two post-graduate scholarships enabled him to study advanced conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London). He graduated with the Ricordi Conductors' Prize. His appointment as Musical Director of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra made him the first New Zealand Musical Director of a New Zealand orchestra, the first Conductor Laureate, the first Musical Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Wellington City Opera. An outstanding advocate for classical music, he continues to inspire young musicians, and he holds Mobil Broadcasting awards for his work in television and radio. Orchestras Sir William has association with include the Halle Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

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