Promotion for N.Z. conductor

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33279, 17 July 1973, Page 12

Promotion for N.Z. conductor

A New Zealander, (Ashley Lawrence, has just been made music (director of the Royal Ballet, London. | Mr Lawrence has been I conducting the ballet [orchestra for 11 years, since (last year as principal coni ductor. His new post, which 'will take effect in September, jat the beginning of the 197374 season, does not mean he will be giving up conducting, reports an N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent in London. In fact, he will be doing “even more.” The position is “a very active one,” he says. “I’ll be conducting a great deal, as well as being involved in administration work.” ' He will also remain principal conductor of the (8.8. C. Concert Orchestra. As music director, Mr Lawrence will be responsible (for planning the ballet (repertoire for each season land for foreign tours, selecting new material, and (advising on all musical ipoints. ■ He is particularly looking i forward to extending the 'range of music used for (ballets. “I hope to introduce i new, modern scores,” he says. ) “I’d like to commission con- | temporary composers for the | new ballets, something that ) hasn’t been done at Covent Garden for many years.” | Mr Lawrence, aged 39, was born in Hamilton, but as a ichild shifted to Auckland. He left in 1956, on a Government bursary, to study at the Royal College of Music. He began learning the piano at the Marist Covent in Auckland, with John Dobson, and after he left school he continued his musical studies, and also took

; a B.Sc. from Aucklan, : University. He studied piano, violin, and conducting at the Royal College, London, for three (years, winning the Tagore : Medal for the best student, (then trained further in conducting with Rafael Kubelik iin Switzerland. I For the next two years and (a half he taught.physics and ■ mathematics at a technical I college in London because “no-one wanted to know me (as a musician, and a student at that.” ; In 1962 the Royal Ballet [offered him a conducting ( job. He had been with the (ballet for six years when he was appointed music director 'to the Stuttgart Ballet and (the Deutsche Ballet in ' Berlin, a position he held for )four years, while remaining guest conductor with the Royal Ballet. He rejoined the 'Royal Ballet last year as [principal conductor.