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Gary Daverne
Music Director Emeritus - Auckland Symphony Orchestra

Publicity Material

GARY DAVERNE, O.N.Z.M. (Conductor)

Gary Daverne is one of New Zealand’s most internationally acclaimed, honoured and successful composer, arranger and conductor.

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.

In November 2000, Gary was presented the prestigious Scroll of Honour by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand: "for his dedication and skill in his craft and for bringing the joy of orchestral music to the people. We acknowledge his achievements and salute his professionalism."

In 2005 the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, named Gary a Paul Harris Fellow.

At the 2009 Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships, the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes (CIA) presented Gary with the CIA Honored Friend of the Accordion Award: "Recognizing the significant contributions of Gary Daverne to the development of accordion music and performance, both in New Zealand and internationally .....”

At this event he won First Prize with his commissioned solo accordion work titled, Koriana, (accordion in Maori).

Gary held the position of Musical Director/Conductor, of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, since its formation in 1975 until 2010 when he was appointed Director of Music Emeritus.

He was appointed Music Director for the 1975 New Zealand Waitangi Day Celebrations attended by Her Majesty, the Queen of England and other members of the British Royal Family. Gary is probably the only civilian in recent British history to musically direct a Royal occasion conducting the Royal New Zealand Navy Band, without a commission.

Gary Daverne 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. 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 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 symphony orchestra, accordion, children’s songs and musicals, popular songs, 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.

He was highly regarded as a musical arranger and conductor for Television New Zealand, writing for many of the top New Zealand T.V. shows.

As a record producer, he has to his credit some 40 record albums including one ‘platinum' and two 'gold' records.

Gary is New Zealand's most prolific and successful composer and arranger of music for the accordion, although he does not play the accordion. His musical arrangements and compositions for accordion orchestras and solo accordion are still used extensively around the world.

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, the Turkish State Orchestras of Istanbul, Bursa and Adana, conducting with them, many of his own compositions.

In 2002 he was the first New Zealander to be invited to conduct in South Korea, where he was guest conductor of the Incheon City Symphony Orchestra. In 2005/8 he conducted concerts with the Moravian Philharmonic, Czech Republic, in a programme of his original music and film scores.

At the 2009 Coupe Mondiale, World Accordion Championships, held in the Bruce Mason Centre, North Shore City, Auckland, New Zealand, Gary conducted the world premiere of his commissioned composition, Auckland March, performed by the World Accordion Orchestra III, 147 accordions representing 14 nationalities.

Today, Gary is known as an international composer and orchestral conductor, having conducted many of the world’s major orchestras, for his work with young people in children’s musical theatre and for support and giving young soloists the opportunity to perform in concert with a symphony orchestra - a direct result of him holding the NZ Department of Education, Composer in Schools position for two years.

His current CD releases of his original music include:

  • The Silver Fern - Woolston Brass play marches by Gary Daverne
  • The Journey - New Zealand virtuoso accordionist Kevin Friedrich plays the music of Gary Daverne
  • Portrait of Ponsonby - An orchestral compilation of New Zealand place names composed by Gary Daverne
  • Where Two Oceans Meet - easy listening piano music by Gary Daverne
  • Koriana - New Zealand Music for Accordion by Gary Daverne
  • Mary plays Gary - USA virtuoso accordionist Mary Tokarski plays the music of Gary Daverne
  • Harley plays Gary - New Zealand virtuoso accordionist Harley Jones plays the music of Gary Daverne
  • Viscount Treasures Taonga - Gary Daverne, 50 years as a record producer
  • John Hobbs - A Man with a Mission, a musical story, words by Dorothy Tomlinson, music by Gary Daverne
  • Youth of Auckland - New Zealand orchestral Music by Gary Daverne
  • Gallipoli - New Zealand orchestral Music by Gary Daverne
  • Rhapsody - New Zealand Music for Accordion and Symphony Orchestra by Gary Daverne
  • Concert Accordion Music by Gary Daverne - Various artists
  • Music Vaults, Volume One - Produced by Gary Daverne.
  • Music Vaults, Volume Two - Produced by Gary Daverne.
  • 117 Jingles - Composed and Produced by Gary Daverne.
  • The Other Side - Original Popular Music composed by Gary Daverne.
  • Musicals Composed by Gary Daverne
  • Tales of Panapa
  • Musical Stories for Children - Tiddilik The Frog, The Brothers Three, Young Mozart
  • Gypsy Girl

  • Gary Daverne CD Page with Sound Samples


Photos of Gary Daverne

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