David Farquhar (composer)

David Andross Farquhar CNZM (5 April 1928 – 8 May 2007) was a New Zealand composer and professor of music at Victoria University of Wellington.

Farquhar was born in Cambridge, New Zealand in 1928 but spent most of his early years in Fiji. He was educated in New Zealand, and was a pupil at St Peter's School in Cambridge and Wanganui Collegiate. He was an accomplished sportsman and academic at both schools, captaining the cricket team in summer and hockey team in winter. He also broke many of their short and middle distance running records. He began his university studies in Christchurch before completing his degree at Victoria University of Wellington where he studied with Douglas Lilburn. He went to the United Kingdom where he completed a Master of Arts at the University of Cambridge, and also studied composition with Benjamin Frankel at the Guildhall School of Music in London.

On his return to New Zealand in 1953, he joined the staff of the Department of Music at Victoria University, and was made Professor of Music in 1976, retiring in 1993. He was the Founder-President of the Composers Association of New Zealand in 1974 and was awarded their Citation for Services to New Zealand Music in 1984.

In the 2004 New Year Honours he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music. He wrote numerous orchestral, choral, stage and instrumental works, songs and music for children, and has been recognized since the 1950s as being at the forefront of New Zealand composition.

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