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Biography
Gary was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order
of Merit (O.N.Z.M.) in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours in recognition
of his services to music.
With librettist, Dorothy Tomlinson, Gary composed the
music for a two act opera, John Hobbs – A Man with a Mission.
The story of the early 19-century Wesleyan missionaries in New Zealand. |
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On
the international scene, Gary has conducted many major orchestras including
London’s Royal Philharmonic, the Shanghai Symphony, the Taiwan
Symphony, the Moravian Philharmonic-Czech Republic; conducted symphony
concerts in Jakarta, Indonesia and the National Symphony Orchestra of
Malaysia, featuring many of his own compositions.|
Gary’s
Early Musical History
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| Gary Daverne grew up
as a ‘rock ‘n roller’. He was born and bred in Takapuna,
on Auckland’s North Shore, attended Takapuna Grammar School and played
euphonium and drums in the school brass band and clarinet in the school
orchestra. It was while he was a student at Grammar School that he formed
his first seven-piece dance band, the Taka Tones. They played the pop songs
of the day as instrumentals and Dixieland jazz standards, at the school
dances and local church and sports club socials. Gary arranged all the music. |
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Gary
(16 years of age) playing clarient with the Taka Tones.
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He played clarinet in the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra (today’s Auckland Youth Orchestra) for over 6 years and performed solo at the age of 16, the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, in the Auckland Town Hall with the Secondary Schools Orchestra In the late 1950’s Gary was also playing saxophone and joined the rock ‘n roll group, Red Hewitt and the Buccaneers, where he also doubled on rock ‘n roll piano. He was to become in later years, a top line jazz pianist. The Buccaneers were his first introduction to the recording world through Eldred Stebbing and Zodiac Records. The Buccaneers were, one of the first Rock ‘n Roll bands and they were a popular band, all their records finding a ready market in the Auckland scene. They had hits like, I Believe, Beatnik Fly and Robbin’ the Cradle. The Buccaneers disbanded in 1961 when Red Hewitt went to Australia to further his career. |
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Gary
playing saxophone with the Buccaneers.
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Gary
(middle back ) with the Embers
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Viscount Records was a one-man label with Gary being the sole owner, arranger and producer, working out of Zodiac Studios and in association with Eldred Stebbing. The Sierras had a big hit in The Crying Game, Cathy Howe had success with Then He Kissed Me, and He Doesn’t Love Me, the Gendelles with Sally Go Round The Roses and Popsicles and Icicles. It was in the Embers that Gary met Glyn Tucker Jnr. the rhythm guitarist and vocalist in the group. Gary and Glyn were to have a long recording association in the many years to follow, Glyn re-emerging from the Embers in the Gremlins and having a successful recording career on the Viscount Label. Their big hit record was The Coming Generation, which was also released on the Mercury label in the UK. The Viscount label had a productive and successful 5 years up until 1966 when both Gary and Wayne went on their big OE. While in London, they played together in a trio, in Finchley, at a regular three nights a week ‘pub’ gig that lasted for nearly two years. Gary also produced a record for Wayne in the Abbey Road Studios. Gary studied composition and conducting while in London achieving a Fellowship at Trinity College. On his return from Europe in the early ‘70’s, Gary met up with Glyn again and became a part owner/director of Mandrill Recording Studios. Glyn and Gary jointly produced many record albums together, achieving gold and platinum status. Both became very successful jingle writers and Gary became a top arranger and musical director for Television New Zealand writing for many of the top New Zealand TV shows, including: Happen Inn, Sing, Once More With Feeling and Stars on Sunday. Today, Gary is a successful international symphony orchestra conductor. He has remained resident conductor/musical director of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra since he founded it in 1974 and is New Zealand’s most prolific composer and arranger of music for the accordion. His orchestral compositions are extensive as are his Children’s Musicals and Songs most of which over the years has been recorded and released on CD. He has written and produced over 500 TV and radio advertising jingles and film sound tracks along with many recorded ‘pop’ songs. Interestingly enough, he never composed any songs or music during his rock ‘n’ roll years, even though the bands he played in had several hit records. He still works as an independent record producer/arranger/composer/music director and manages the Viscount record label. He was appointed and Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 1996 Queen’s Birthday Honours. |
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