David Blair Hamilton (born 21 December 1955) is a New Zealand composer and teacher.
Biography
Hamilton was born in Napier and studied composition with Douglas Mews and John Rimmer at the University of Auckland. He graduated in 1979 with an MMus. He trained as a teacher and joined the staff of Epsom Girls Grammar School, and was then Head of Music from 1986 until 2001.
Hamilton gained early recognition as a composer by winning three national competitions in 1978 and 1979. This led to numerous commissions, including one from New Zealand's National Youth Choir, of which he was a founder member. Two of his works were included in the choir's programmes when they toured internationally in 1982.
He is particularly known for his choral music, with over four hundred works, which are widely performed, especially by school, youth and community choirs. His music has been published and recorded in Finland by SULASOL, in England by Oxford University Press, and in North America by Plymouth Music, Neil Kjos, Walton Music and Earthsongs.
Hamilton has been commissioned to write works for most major New Zealand music organisations including Radio New Zealand, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Choral, Chamber Music New Zealand, the New Zealand Youth Choir, and the Auckland Philharmonia. His works are widely performed outside New Zealand, with recent performances in Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, Ireland and Finland.
As a choral conductor, he has predominantly conducted New Zealand community and school choirs; including the Tauranga Civic Choir, Napier Civic Choir, Pakuranga Choral Society, South Auckland Choral Society and at a number of schools including Epsom Girls Grammar School, St Mary's College's from 2008 to 2012, and Auckland Grammar School. He was also the Deputy Music Director of Auckland Choral from 1996 until 2011. Other activities have included choral adjudication in Japan, Hawaii, Argentina and Wales, and workshop presentations in Hong Kong, Singapore, Boston and Kuala Lumpur.
Significant Compositions
Works featuring choir:
Lux Aeterna (1979) a six minute work for SSAATB choir
The Moon is Silently Singing (1985) a nine minute for two SSATB choirs and two horns Te Deum (1986) a twenty-five minute work for solo alto, SSA and SAB semi-choruses, SAATBB choir, percussion, piano and organ The Dragons are Singing Tonight (1996) an eighteen minute work for mixed-voice choir and brass band (or orchestra) Monday's Troll (2002) an eight minute work for solo bass clarinet, choir and orchestra Missa Pacifica (2005) an hour long work for soprano and alto soloists; mixed-voice SSATB youth choir, large mixed-voice choir; brass, percussion, and strings written for Auckland Choral's 150th anniversary. Serenade (2011) for SSAA choir and chamber orchestra The Necessary Rain (2012) a work for soprano, SAATBB choir, and orchestra Erebus (2015) a twenty-five minute work for baritone solo, mixed choir, percussion, two pianos and pre-recorded soundscape. Homecoming – Te Hokinga Mai (2018) for alto solo, SSATB choir, and chamber orchestra
Orchestral works:
Parabasis (1987) a fourteen minute work for orchestra
Elysian Fields (1998) a thirteen minute work for orchestra
Leukos (2000) a twenty-five minute work for large orchestra
Caveat Emptor (2008) for orchestra
Flight (2009) for orchestra
Children of the Fire Gods (2012) for orchestra
The Kingston Flyer (2013) for string orchestra and piano
Asahi (2020) for 2 guzheng, percussion and string orchestra
Works featuring a soloist or soloists with orchestra:
Double Percussion Concerto (1979) a twelve minute work for two percussionists and orchestra Breaking the Quiet (2008) for solo baritone and orchestra Solar Phoenix (2010) for trumpet and chamber orchestra Chimera (2013) a twelve minute work for solo organ and orchestra Piano Concerto No. 2 (2018) for solo piano and orchestra Concertino for Oboe and Strings (2012) for oboe and string orchestra Concerto for Piano Duet (2015) piano (4 hands) and orchestra Paper Cut (2015) for piano solo and concert band Cutting Edge (2020) for drum kit solo and orchestra
Chamber works: