David Farquhar (1928-2007)

May 8th, 2007

The composer David Farquhar died today, aged 79 after a brief illness.

He was born in 1928 in Cambridge, New Zealand and educated at Canterbury, Victoria and Cambridge Universities, and also studied composition with Benjamin Frankel at the Guildhall School of Music in London. In 1953 he joined the Music Department of Victoria University, where he was appointed Professor in 1976 and retired from his position at the end of 1993.

Recognized as one of New Zealand's most widely respected composers and a committed advocate of New Zealand music, he was founder-president of the Composers Association of New Zealand (CANZ) and a long-serving member of the board of the New Zealand Composers Foundation.

David Farquhar was recognized as one of New Zealand’s most esteemed and prolific composers and will be remembered for his enormous contribution to the New Zealand music community.