Philip Neill Memorial Prize Explained

The Philip Neill Memorial Prize is an annual prize administered by the University of Otago for excellence in original composition.^[1] The award is open to all past and present students of a university in New Zealand, except previous winners who are excluded for a period of five years.

It was established in 1943 in memory of Philip Foster Neill, a medical student at the University of Otago who died during the polio outbreak of 1943. In the first year of the prize, 1944, the topic was for a prelude (or fantasia) and fugue for either piano or organ. Douglas Lilburn was publicly awarded the first prize of £25 on 25 June 1944, with Harry Luscombe of Auckland the runner-up.^[2] It is the longest continuously running award of its kind in New Zealand.

The prize is determined each year with a set task with different parameters each year, usually relating to duration and instrumentation, which are announced early in the year, with a deadline for submission at the beginning of July. The prize is not always awarded.

List of award recipients

• 1944 Douglas Lilburn for Prelude and Fugue in G Minor for organ^[3]
• 1945 Harry Luscombe for Sonata in G major for violin and piano^[4]
• 1946 Frank Callaway for Theme and Variations for String Orchestra^[5]
• 1947 tied between Dorothy Scott for In a younger Land, a song cycle for mezzo-soprano and violin, cello and piano^[6] and Dorothea Anne Franchi for The Desolate Star a song cycle for baritone and piano setting text by Robin Hyde ^[7]
• 1948 John Ritchie for Passacaglia and fugue on an original theme for two pianos^[8]
• 1949 Charles Martin for Sonata for pianoforte and violin^[9]
• 1950 Claire Neale for Variations on an original theme in the phyrgian mode, with a ground bass finale^[10]
• 1951 Georgina Smith for Theme and Variations [for two pianos]^[11]
• 1952 Leslie Pearce Williamson Jordan for Fantasy-sonata for cello and piano
• 1953 No award
• 1954 Nigel Eastgate
• 1955, 1956, 1957 No award
• 1958 Barry Vercoe for A Program Suite for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon^[12]
• 1959 Dorothy Freed for Variations for woodwind quintet^[13] and Philip Hodgson
• 1960, 1961 No award
• 1962 shared between Robin Maconie for Basia Memoranda for lyric tenor and string quartet and Graham Hollobon for Elegy, a song cycle setting text by Alastair Campbell
• 1963 William Southgate for Toccata for Brass Choir^[14] and Jenny McLeod
• 1964 No award
• 1965 Jack Body for Cantata for the festival of dedication of a church^{[15] [16]}
• 1966 William Hawkey
• 1967, 1968 No award
• 1969 Noel Sanders
• 1970 Gillian Bibby for Sanctuary of the Spirits, a children's opera,^{[17] [18]}
• 1971 John Rimmer for Composition 2^[19]
• 1972 Christopher Norton
• 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 No award
• 1978 David Hamilton for Canticle 1 for oboe, baritone and piano.
• 1979 Peter Adams for Sings Daphne for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano ^[20]
• 1980 John Ritchie for Three Housman Songs
• 1981 No award
• 1982 Helen Caskie for Rhapsody for violin and piano^[21]
• 1983 No award
• 1984 Richard Francis for Song-cycle (Auden) for Baritone and Pianoforte
• 1985 Nigel Keay for Variations for piano
• 1986 No award
• 1987 Eve de Castro-Robinson for Undercurrents for solo clarinet
• 1988, 1989, 1990 No award
• 1991 Maria Grenfell for A Pinch of time ; five songs for bass-baritone and piano setting poems by Hone Tuwhare, Kevin Ireland and Allen Curnow^[22]
• 1992 John Elmsly^[23] for Songs from 'The Treehouse' for SATB choir
• 1993 Eve de Castro-Robinson for Split the Lark for violin and piano
• 1994 Tecwyn Evans for Gerauschvoll for organ^[24]
• 1995 Christopher Marshall for Three Aspects of Spring
• 1995 Dorothy Buchanan for Fragments and Letters for voice, clarinet and piano.
• 1996 Cheryl Camm for Three Burns Songs for Soprano, Clarinet and Cello^[25]
• 1996 Michael Norris^[26]
• 1997 David Farquhar for Prospero
• 1998 No award
• 1999 Jeroen Speak for Etudes.
• 2000 Leonie Holmes for A Tedious Brief Scene: Bottom's Dance for mixed chamber ensemble of nine players^[27]
• 2001 No award
• 2002 Thorsten Wollman for Fishes and Birds for flute or violin, clarinet and piano^[28]
• 2003 John Rimmer for Bowed Insights for string quartet^[19]
• 2004 Robin Toan for Maze for piano and two percussionists^[29]
• 2005 No award
• 2006 Carol Shortis for The Riddle of her flight
• 2007 Brian Bromberg ^[30]
• 2008 Chris Adams for Persephone for String Quartet^[31]
• 2009 Jack Body for Mediations on Michelangelo
• 2010 No award
• 2011 Alex Campbell-Hunt for Piano Trio
• 2012 Corwin Newall for Scientists (Part 1)
• 2013 Kerian Veraine for Crave Release for violin and piano
• 2014 Linda Dallimore^[32] for Syria: In Empathy for oboe and piano
• 2015 Jeremy Mayall for Frosted Air Suite for flute and electronics^[33]
• 2016 Reuben Jelleyman for Soliloquy for Cello^[34]
• 2017 No award
• 2018 Corwin Newall for #babylife for piano duet^[35]
• 2019 Megan Kyte^[36] for Entends
• 2020 David Hamilton for Canticle 6: Fragments from Lorca for Mezzo, Violin and Piano,^[37] highly commended Chris Adams for Dowland Fragments for Mezzo, Violin and Piano
• 2021 Ben Hoadley for Four Preludes for cello and piano ^[38]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Philip Neill Memorial Prize . 2020-07-13 . Philip Neill Memorial Prize :Items :National Library of New Zealand :National Library of New Zealand . . New Zealand.
2. Norman, P "Douglas Lilburn" pp. 111-112
3. Web site: [Prelude & fugue, G minor, organ] Prelude and fugue in G minor ; for organ]. Douglas Gordon. Lilburn. John. Steele. January 1, 1944. [Prelude & fugue, G minor, organ] Pre... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200607100930/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23153380. June 7, 2020. live.
4. Web site: Sonata in G major for violin and piano . 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200623171424/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121807360001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews,lk&offset=0 . 2020-06-23 . live .
5. Web site: Theme and variations for string orchestra : [Original composition awarded the Philip Neill memorial prize in music]. ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.
6. Harvey, D.R. A Bibliography of Writings about New Zealand Music published to the end of 1983
7. Web site: The Desolate star ; song cycle for baritone voice with piano accompaniment / words by Robin Hyde. Dorothea Anne. Franchi. Iris Guiver. Wilkinson. January 1, 1947. The Desolate star ; song cycle for ba... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182718/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22326431. June 4, 2020. live.
8. Web site: Passacaglia and fugue on an original theme for two pianos : [Original composition awarded the Philip Neill memorial prize in music]. ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200622144556/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121887680001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews&offset=0 . 2020-06-22 . live .
9. Web site: Sonata for pianoforte and violin : [Original composition awarded the Philip Neill memorial prize in music]. ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200622155908/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121893130001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews&offset=0 . 2020-06-22 . live .
10. Web site: Variations on an original theme in the phyrgian mode, with a ground bass finale : [Original composition awarded the Philip Neill memorial prize in music]. ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200621220044/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121889590001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews&offset=0 . 2020-06-21 . live .
11. Web site: Theme and variations [for two pianos] : [Original composition awarded the Philip Neill memorial prize in music]. ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200622151155/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121896250001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews&offset=0 . 2020-06-22 . live .
12. Web site: The Weekend Sun | Barry Lloyd Vercoe's world premiere. theweekendsun.co.nz. 2020-06-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20190204162710/https://www.theweekendsun.co.nz/lps/890-barry-lloyd-vercoes-world-premiere.html. 2019-02-04. live.
13. Web site: Variations for woodwind quintet. Dorothy Whitson. Freed. January 1, 1959. Variations for woodwind quintet | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605223328/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22319934. June 5, 2020. live.
14. Web site: Toccata for brass choir [Philip Neill memorial prize, 1963] ]. 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200621174624/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121851060001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews,lk&offset=0 . 2020-06-21 . live .
15. Web site: Cantata for the festival of dedication of a church . 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200622202135/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21121882060001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews,lk&offset=0 . 2020-06-22 . live .
16. Web site: Inward correspondence regarding competition prizes. Not. specified. January 1, 1965. Inward correspondence regarding compe... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182724/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22601600. June 4, 2020. live.
17. Web site: SOUNZ Sanctuary of Spirits.
18. Norman. Philip T.. 1983. The beginnings and development of a New Zealand music: The life, and work (1940-1965), of Douglas Lilburn. Ph.D. Appendix A11. University of Canterbury.Music. https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/4570. 15 September 2021.
19. Web site: John Rimmer – The Living Composers Project. www.composers21.com. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20170702033505/http://www.composers21.com/compdocs/rimmerj.htm. 2017-07-02. live.
20. Norman. Philip T.. 1983. The beginnings and development of a New Zealand music: The life, and work (1940-1965), of Douglas Lilburn. Ph.D. Appendix A11. University of Canterbury.Music. https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/4570. 15 September 2021.
21. Web site: Rhapsody for violin and piano. Helen. Caskie. January 1, 1982. Rhapsody for violin and piano | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200606003134/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22345237. June 6, 2020. live.
22. Web site: Grenfell, Maria 1969- : A Pinch of time ; five songs for bass-baritone and piano / [poems by Hone Tuwhare, Kevin Ireland and Allen Curnow]]. Maria Jacqueline. Grenfell. Hone. Tuwhare. Kevin. Ireland. Thomas Allen Monro. Curnow. January 1, 1991. Grenfell, Maria 1969- : A Pinch of ti... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182738/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22476251. June 4, 2020. live.
23. Web site: John ELMSLY — Rattle Records Artists. Rattle Records. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604192824/https://rattle.co.nz/artists/john-elmsly. 2020-06-04. live.
24. Web site: Gerauschvoll for organ . 2020-07-13 . otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200622021715/https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=OTAGO_ALMA21101532670001891&context=L&vid=DUNEDIN&lang=en_US&search_scope=All&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Philip%20Neill%20Memorial%20Prize&facet=rtype,exclude,reviews,lk&offset=0 . 2020-06-22 . live .
25. Web site: SOUNZ Three Burns Songs. www.sounz.org.nz. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604193917/https://www.sounz.org.nz/works/14903?locale=en. 2020-06-04. live.
26. Web site: About - Michael Norris, Composer. www.michaelnorris.info. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604194646/http://www.michaelnorris.info/about. 2020-06-04. live.
27. Web site: Dr Leonie Holmes - The University of Auckland. www.creative.auckland.ac.nz. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182711/https://www.creative.auckland.ac.nz/people/music/l-holmes. 2020-06-04. live.
28. Web site: Archived copy . 2020-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191209104747/http://www.thorstenwollmann.com/concert-works/classical.html . 2019-12-09 . live .
29. Web site: SOUNZ Robin Toan. sounz.org.nz. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604194728/https://sounz.org.nz/contributors/1262. 2020-06-04. live.
30. Web site: Recurring Opportunities for NZ Composers | Composers Association of New Zealand.
31. Web site: Chris Adams wins Philip Neill Prize | Composers Association of New Zealand. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604193952/https://canz.net.nz/news/chris-adams-wins-philip-neill-prize/. 2020-06-04. live.
32. Web site: SOUNZ Linda Dallimore.
33. Web site: Chamber. October 30, 2012. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604192329/https://jeremymayall.com/compositions/chamber/. June 4, 2020. live.
34. Web site: Archived copy . 2020-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181009060832/http://reubenjelleyman.com/images/oeuvre_2017.pdf . 2018-10-09 . live .
35. Web site: "Chaotic, sleep-deprived, delightful" new parenthood inspires winning composition. Otago Bulletin. Board. University of Otago. 2020-06-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182709/https://www.otago.ac.nz/otagobulletin/news/otago697161.html. 2020-06-04. live.
36. Web site: St Paul's recital marks milestone. September 30, 2019. Otago Daily Times Online News. June 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20191028052624/https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/music/st-pauls-recital-marks-milestone. October 28, 2019. live.
37. https://www.sounz.org.nz/works/25989
38. Web site: Sunday Concert Series – Cello & Piano Duo: Song for Yoo .