Fourteen musicians tell their stories about how they became who they are, the commitment required, the struggles, failures and successes, and the fierce ambition which has driven them. The interviews criss-cross with one another. They may be national stories but they are also international stories. They may be about musicians but they are also about artists, writers, sculptors, theatre practitioners and the intersections our art-forms have with one another. In the telling of their stories, through Sarah Shieff's interviews, all these working musicians invoke the much greater hinterland of culture-making and history-making in our country.

Table of Contents

Jack Body (composer); Edwin Carr (composer); Carmel Carroll (mezzo); William Dart (critic); Gareth Farr (composer, percussionist); Dorothea Franchi (conductor, composer); Frank Gurr (clarinettist); Deirdre Irons (pianist); Dame Malvina Major (soprano); Sir Donald McIntyre (bass); Jenny McLeod (composer); Hirini Melbourne (performer, musicologist); Wilma Smith (violinist, concert master); Sir William Southgate (conductor); Alexa Still (flautist).

About the Author

Sarah Shieff teaches English and New Zealand Studies at the University of Waikato. She worked for a number of years as a professional clarinetist, has done extensive research on both music and literature in New Zealand, and is a registered and practising teacher of clarinet.

From The Publisher:

Based on extensive interviews, this is a book of biographical essays about 15 leading contemporary New Zealand musicians who are working within the classical tradition. Photographer Robert Cross illustrates them with striking photographs, and a CD with examples of each musician's work accompanies the book. Each musician's development and training is explored, along with the highlights and challenges of their careers, presenting a uniquely personal picture of New Zealand's culture today.