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On October 27 2010, Gary Daverne was recipient of the prestigious ‘Benny’ Award, the highest honour that can be awarded to any entertainer in New Zealand.  Gary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, educated at Auckland
University and Auckland Teachers Training College. He started his musical
career in brass bands as a euphonium player, later changing to clarinet,
playing in symphony orchestras, jazz combos and top New Zealand ‘rock‘
bands during the 60’s. In the late 60’s, he moved to London, where he stayed for 4 years, studying composition and conducting, while teaching and playing piano in a trio with his brother, Wayne, who was a drummer/vocalist. Gary also studied conducting in Hawaii and Switzerland. Gary started playing the piano seriously when he was 21 becoming a top line jazz and rock/pop pianist. He also doubled on alto and tenor saxophones with the clarinet. He stayed on in the brass band world for many years as a percussionist and drummer while continuing to play in symphony orchestras as a clarinetist and professional percussionist. Gary’s first venture into professional musical theatre was in 1974 when he was musical arranger and director for the highly successful, Australian, Christian Rock Musical Man of Sorrows, composed 1969 by Enzo Topano and based on the Life of Jesus. The following year Gary was to write his own rock opera, the first of a few, to a libretto by Ed Justin, Hi Ya Messiah. The show had a long run, with large enthusiastic audiences and was a musical and financial success, although a repeat performance has never occurred. Several songs were recorded by the cast and released on a 45EP. For the composer/musical director, it was a further milestone on the road of musical accomplishments. Peter, a modern rock version of Ibsen’s, Peer Gynt story and Robyn Hood: Outlaw Princess, (libretto by John Reynolds),a female rock version of the Robin Hood of Sherwood tale, followed shortly after, the latter receiving many successful productions, mainly in schools. Gary is a qualified Secondary School teacher in Economics, Accounting and Music and was selected by the New Zealand Education Department as "Composer in Schools", a one year appointment that he held for two years in 1978/79. During that time he composed many songs and musicals for children that have remained very popular and are still regularly performed. As a composer, Gary has written works for orchestra, accordion, children’s songs and musicals, with over 500 TV and radio advertising jingles and film sound tracks. Interestingly enough, he did not compose any songs or music during his rock ‘n’ roll years, even though his band had several hit records.
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. |
Biography
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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| 1962. The Silhouettes performing at the regular: Friday Night Takapuna Dance. Left to right: Rex Bowmast (lead guitar), Gary (saxophone), Warren McKinnon (rhythm guitar/vocal), brother, Wayne Daverne (drums/vocals), Len Cunningham (bass). Dance promoter - Gary Daverne. |
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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 1975 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. |
Gary's Childhood / Archive Photos |
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| Gary with father, Ron. |
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| Gary marrried his dance partner, Colleen in "Me and My Gal". |
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| Gary aged 16, performed the Mozart Clarinet Concerto. |
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| Percussionist in local brass band, age 17. |
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