Mr J. A. Ritchie Appointed Professor Of Music

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 22

Mr J. A. Ritchie Appointed Professor Of Music

By the appointment of Mr J. A. Ritchie as professor of music, the University of Canterbury has indicated its desire to continue the tradition established by Professor Vernon Griffiths, whom he will succeed. For 14 years these two have been intimately associated in developing advanced academic courses in music and practical music-making at the university, at the same time encouraging amateur groups in the community by their personal leadership, by composing especially for

them, and by fostering public interest. Mr Ritcihie, at the age of 40, will bring to the chair a high reputation in his own right as a teacher, musician, conductor, and composer, which has been widely recognised by invitations to speak and to perform in New Zealand and overseas and by the very considerable range of his compositions. Mr Ritchie qualified as a teacher at the Dunedin Training College and took his bachelor of music degree at the University of Otago under Professor V. E. Galway, winning the Charles Begg scholarship in 1940 and the Philip Neill prize for composition. For most of the war he held a commissioned rank as a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm. Specialist Course In 1945, Mr Ritchie qualified for the licentiate in music of Trinity College,

London, and then entered the University of Canterbury in 1946 for post-graduate study in music while also taking a music specialists’ course for school teaching. However, in 1947, he was appointed a junior lecturer in the university music department, was promoted to lecturer in 1949, and to senior lecturer in 1953—the post that he now holds. In his 14 years at the university, Mr Ritchie has lectured in all subjects for the degrees of bachelor of music, bachelor of arts and master of arts with honours in music, and for the diploma in education with endorsement in music. While Professor Griffiths was on leave in 1952-53 he was in charge of the department. To meet an unfilled need in the training of graduates in music, Mr Ritchie introduced nd has maintained for 10 years a two-year course in conducting. Based on his experience in the United States, he has also directed a post-graduate course called "the materials of contemporary music” for the benefit of bachelors of music with potential for original composition. U.S. Study In the long university vacation of 1956-S7, Mr Ritchie visited the United States on refresher leave and studied closely the organisation and content of courses in music at Harvard University. Yale University, the Juillard School of Music and the ■Eastman School of Music He thus has experience of the British tradition and the latest American trends.

Mr Ritchie has been a prolific lecturer to organisations outside the university. He was one of the earliest lecturers in the inter-faculty series, speaking on music to chemistry and French students. Under the adult education department he has spoken widely in all main centres of Canterbury. Marlborough. Nelson, and the West Coast. Besides arranging concerts for schools he has conducted and lectured at special children’s sessions with the National Orchestra in Christchurch and Dunedin Mid with his own John Ritchie String Orchestra and groups of the University Musical Society. In the United States he lectured to post-graduate courses in the University of Connecticut to the Connecticut and North California chapters of the Music Educators' National Conference. Publications Mr Ritchie has produced dozens of musical and literary publications, many of which are well-known and widely used. His commissioned works include the cantata “Then Laugheth The Year” for Large chorus, ,two

pianos and orchestra, written for the Canterbury Centennial Association in 1950, and “Centennial Ode” for large chorus and orchestra, written for the Royal Christchurch Musical Society in 1951. As a conductor he has directed broadcast performances and concerts by the Gloucester Singers, the Christchurch Liederkranzchen until 1960, the Christchurch Orpheus Choir and, more recently the John Ritchie String Orchestra. Conductor Three times he has been guest conductor of the National Orchestra and on other occasions he has conducted the New Zealand Ballet Company (1960 Christchurch season), the National Youth Orchestra (1961), the Christchurch Cathedral Choir, the Christchurch Harmonic Society, the Provincial Choirs’ Festival (1960), the Canterbury Women’s Institutes’ Choral Festival (twice), the Catholic Colleges’ Festival (three times), the Timaru Choral Society, the Nelson Harmonic Society and the Nelson Male Voice Choir, and the Ashburton Youth Choir. He has judged competitions festivals at Auckland, Christchurch, Oamaru, Invercargill and musical contests at many schools. He has been one of the music critics of “The Press” periodically since 1947. Mr Ritchie is married, with five children.