Interview with Jack Body

Interview with Jack Body, born in Te Aroha in 1944. Outlines his family background and growing up on a farm at Te Aroha. Recalls early musical ability and piano lessons. Mentions being a boarder at Kings College, Auckland where he excelled in music and art. Comments on his music teacher L.C.M. Saunders. Recalls having the idea from an early time that one could write one's own music, and starting to collect records and music scores as a teenager. Talks about studying music at Auckland University, learning organ from Peter Godfrey and joining the St Mary's Cathedral Choir. Recalls studying with Ron Tremain and meeting Dorothea Franchi, Denis Trussel and Michael Wieck. Refers to completing a Master of Music degree, meeting Noel Sanders, forming 'Young Aucklanders in the Arts' and putting on concerts. Talks about the arrival of Douglas Mews on the staff of the Music Department. Mentions finding composing hard at university, and spending some time at Teachers College as part of his training. Admits some regrets at not studying fine arts. Refers to taking the choir at St Aiden's Church Remuera. Describes his growing awareness of his sexuality when he went flatting in his third year at University. Recalls a crisis of faith and becoming an atheist. Refers to his friendship with Max Cryer who had been a teacher at Kings College.

Discusses going to Europe to take up a scholarship in Cologne for music studies under Maurichio Kagel (1969 - 1970). Refers to a period in Utrecht, the Netherlands, studying computer music. Mentions travelling overland for four months when he returned home and finding Indonesia astonishingly sensuous. Talks about returning home determined to be a composer, and teaching at schools in South Auckland and Tawa. Comments on spending 1976 in Indonesia, teaching, setting up a composition group, and recording local street musicians. Recalls meeting his partner Yono Sukarno. Refers to visiting Bourges to work in an electronic music studio, and attending an Asian Composers League Conference.

Discusses returning to Wellington and getting a job at Victoria University, referring to Douglas Lilburn. Mentions working with the University's Waiteata Press. Recalls the School of Music under David Farquhar. Refers to introducing weekly composers forums and composer residencies. Comments on Sonic Circuses he has directed, and organising large Asia Pacific Festivals in Wellington. Outlines opera projects during his career, starting with a commission from the New Zealand Federation of Music in the 1970s. Mentions a project based on the life of Rewi Alley and another based on 'Carmen'. Talks about trips to China from the 1980s and developing a strong interest in contemporary Chinese music. Comments that he would like to get into multimedia work. Refers to planning to retire from teaching at the end of 2009 but continuing to work at the university.

Interviewer(s) - Roger Smith

Accompanying material - List of names mentioned in the interview (with the abstracts)

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001791 (digital)

Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 6 Electronic document(s) (abstract, etc.). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 4.50 Hours and minutes Duration.

Physical Description: Sound files - wave files; Textual files - Microsoft word, Adobe pdf

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7620, OHDL-001792.

Search dates: 1944 - 2009

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Both printed and digital copies of the abstract are available