Searches for Tradition: Past and Present in New Zealand Music

In Douglas Lilburn’s famous address to the 1946 Cambridge Summer School of Music, the composer described his “search for tradition’ in the music of New Zealand and spelled out his hopes that a distinctive art music might yet emerge here. Sixty years on, this collection of scholarly essays brings together various perspectives on what "tradition’ means in the context of the music of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Searches for Tradition presents case studies drawn from a broad spectrum of genres, cultures and historical periods, from investigations of New Zealand’s colonial music to fresh consideration of Lilburn’s legacy, from corners of the jazz scene to the contemporary revitalization of taonga puoro. The focus on "tradition’ leads in some instances to critical issues of nationalism and biculturalism, while others uncover little-discussed aspects of local music history, performance practice or composition. It will be stimulating reading for all enthusiasts of New Zealand music’s past, present and future.

Contributors: Michael Brown, Melissa Cross, Fiona McAlpine, Norman Meehan, Elizabeth Nichol, Michael Norris, Samantha Owens, Anthony Ritchie, Valance Smith, Awhina Tamarapa, Ariana Tikao, Nick Tipping, Peter Walls, Aleisha Ward, Jenny Wollerman.