Interview with Dorothy Buchanan

Interview with Dorothy Buchanan, born in Christchurch in 1945, the second of six girls. Talks about her family background, growing up on the West Coast and later in Christchurch in a musical family, and Catholic schooling. Outlines her early music education with piano lessons and learning the violin at seven. Refers to joining the Christchurch Civic Orchestra at 15 and also playing in the first orchestra at the Christchurch School of Music. Mentions joining the Christchurch Harmonic Society choir at 17 or 18 and travelling to the United Kingdom with them for the Commonwealth Festival. Recalls studying at the University of Canterbury, lecturer Michael Toovey and fellow student Ross Harris. Mentions having her own students during her high school and university years. Talks about her early compositions at school and university.

Refers to marrying, teaching, playing in orchestras, attending teachers' training college and teaching music in schools. Recalls being appointed Composer in Schools in Christchurch in 1977, being based at Burnside High School and visiting 14 schools a week. Describes setting up Nota Bene Publishing with Philip Norman. Talks about moving to Wellington in 1984 where she found it difficult to get established. Recalls a commission to write music for a silent film which began a long association with the Film Archive as a composer and silent film accompanist. Comments that her maternal grandmother had also been an accompanist for silent films. Talks about being a composer in residence at the Film Archive, the influence of Jonathan Dennis, and enjoying accompanying silent films by Lawrie Inkster that were filmed on the West Coast. Refers to working at Wellington College as a music adviser, and working with young composers in Wellington.

Discusses her friendships and collaborations with writers Lauris Edmond, Stevan Eldred-Grigg, Fleur Adcock and Hone Tuwhare. Talks about collaborating with Desiree Gezentsvey on 'An Ocean Between Us' with the New Zealand Piano Quartet. Regrets not having more commercial recordings made of her work. Describes unfinished work on an opera 'Denniston Rose'. Reflects on her pride in the Artists in Schools project in Wellington. Outlines the Composing Women's movement in the 1990s. Pays tribute to her parents.

Interviewer(s) - Roger Smith

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

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHDL-001793 (digital)

Quantity: 1 digital sound recording(s) digital sound recording(s). 6 Electronic document(s) (abstract, etc.). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.29 Hours and minutes Duration.

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

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-7621, OHDL-001794.

Search dates: 1945 - 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