Jack Body
| Jack Body | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Stanley Body |
| Born | 7 October 1944 Te Aroha, New Zealand |
| Died |
(aged 70) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, photographer, teacher, ethnomusicologist |
| Labels | Atoll Records |
| Website | www |
John Stanley "Jack" Body ONZM (7 October 1944 – 10 May 2015) was a New Zealand composer, ethnomusicologist, photographer, teacher, and arts producer. As a composer, his work comprises concert music, music theatre, electronic music, music for film and dance, and audio-visual gallery installations. A deep and long-standing interest in the music of non-Western cultures - particularly South-East Asian - influenced much of his composing work, particularly his technique of transcribing field recordings. As a tireless organizer of musical events and projects, Body had a significant impact on the promotion of Asian music in New Zealand, as well as the promotion of New Zealand music within the country and abroad. In 2015 he was named a New Zealand Arts Icon, the highest award given by the New Zealand Arts Foundation and the first composer to be so honoured.
Jack Body was born 7 October 1944 in Te Aroha, a town in the North Island farming district of the Waikato. Both parents came from farming families; his father, Stan, was an earth moving contractor. Seeing his older sisters take piano lessons, Body convinced his parents to let him follow suit, and began piano lessons from William Cranna, a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and employee of the local power board. Body’s first composing efforts as a child were re-composing his prescribed Royal Schools exercises and performing them at end-of-year piano recitals in the local church hall.
Body attended secondary school as a boarder at King’s College, Auckland. There, his interest in both music and painting was kindled amidst the school’s dynamic musical life under the leadership of music teacher L C M Saunders, with whom Body took piano and organ lessons. On completing secondary school, he applied for the Elam School of Fine Arts but instead chose to study music at the University of Auckland, beginning a Bachelor of Music in 1963. At that time composition was not offered as a course of study at an undergraduate level; nevertheless, Body composed prolifically during his undergraduate years. While studying at the University of Auckland, Body also took organ lessons with Peter Godfrey and sang in the choir of St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, Parnell. In 1965 he was appointed organist and choirmaster of St. Aidan’s Anglican Church in Remuera.
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